Israel arrests 10 suspects in West Bank settler attacks on American and French officials

Israeli police conducted a dawn raid across the occupied West Bank on Monday, arresting 10 people suspected of attacking an American photographer and a French mayor during the weekend. According to police statements, officers searched multiple locations throughout the territory and seized vehicles and other evidence related to the violence.

Major General Moshe Finchi, commander of Israeli police in the West Bank, said the suspects faced charges including involvement in violent incidents, violating military closed-zone orders, and illegal construction. He described the attacks as "severe incidents of violence."

Witnesses and rights groups report that settlers have intensified violent attacks on Palestinians during the olive harvest season, a period of significant cultural and economic importance for Palestinian communities. The Israeli rights organisation Yesh Din documented 561 acts of settler or military violence against Palestinians since 27 September, averaging more than 26 incidents daily. The organisation noted that Israeli authorities rarely prosecute settlers when Palestinians are the victims of violence.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently competing in a tight re-election race, has prioritised maintaining support from his pro-settlement right-wing coalition partners. However, his public statements casting doubt on the circumstances of the attacks on Western visitors prompted unusually strong criticism from opposition politicians, who argued that his response damages Israel's international relations. US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, known as a strong supporter of Israel, was reported to have expressed concerns about the incidents.