Israeli Police Arrest 10 Suspects Over Attacks on US Journalist and European Diplomats by Settlers

Israeli police said they had arrested 10 suspects as part of an investigation into violent incidents in the occupied-West Bank over ⁠the weekend, including separate attacks on a US photojournalist and European diplomats.

Masked Israeli settlers were filmed on Friday assaulting Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, a US citizen, who was covering a Palestinian olive harvest in the West Bank. Levine was taken to hospital and underwent surgery on a finger.

On Saturday, French, Belgian and Polish diplomats as well as a French mayor were attacked by masked settlers in another part of the West Bank. A Belgian diplomatic vehicle was also damaged.

The United States, Israel's closest ally, had urged a crackdown on settler violence and the arrest of the perpetrators of the attack on the Washington Post photojournalist. France, Belgium and Poland, whose diplomats were attacked, also called on Israel to take action.

Police said the suspects were arrested in a pre-dawn operation on suspicion of ⁠involvement in acts of violence, violating a closed military zone ​order ⁠and illegal construction.

The suspects, whom police did not identify, were taken into custody for questioning. Israel's Army Radio reported that they were Israeli citizens.

Prosecutions of Israeli settlers are rare.

A video released by the ⁠police of the pre-dawn operation appeared to show at least one arrested suspect, whose face is not seen, ​wearing ritual ⁠tassels known as tzitzit, which are often worn ‌by observant Jewish men.

The video also appeared to show two slingshots, which can be used to hurl stones, being found at one property. On Friday, when the Washington Post journalist was attacked, dozens of masked settlers, some ‌armed, descended on a Palestinian olive harvest, with some settlers hurling stones ‌with slingshots.