Taybeh, a largely Christian village in the occupied West Bank, has turned into a battleground as settlers halt farmers from harvesting olives this season—an escalation that has already seen a Washington Post photographer seriously injured Friday.
On Saturday, masked settlers descended on a convoy of cars from the French, Belgian and Polish missions that had been sent to show solidarity with Palestinian olive growers. They shouted hostile slogans before driving past the consular vehicles.
Witnesses reported the settlers kicking Bernard Baudoux, 78, the left‑wing mayor of Aulnoye‑Aymeries, as he stood beside a vehicle. He was left slumped on the pavement, hurt but not taken to hospital.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the attack, stating, "I strongly condemn the severe acts of violence by Israeli rioters," and criticized the consulates for failing to coordinate with the military.
Israeli police said they have opened an investigation, collecting testimonies and identifying suspects with the aim of bringing them to justice.
The incident arrives amid the final days of Netanyahu’s election campaign, where the prime minister has positioned himself as a defender of settlers—a stance that has raised fears of further mob violence.