Israeli police have arrested eight suspects in connection with weekend attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians, European diplomats and Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine in the occupied West Bank, The Times of Israel reported.
Welcoming the investigation launched by Israeli police, she said Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure those responsible are held accountable and guarantee the protection of diplomats and civilians in the West Bank. The IDF separately condemned the attack and confirmed that police officers and forensic investigators had entered the area alongside Israeli soldiers to collect evidence and record witness testimonies. The eight suspects have been taken for questioning, while the operation remains ongoing, the police added.
The arrests were made under an operation dubbed “Olive Leaf,” launched at dawn in coordination with Israel’s Shin Bet security agency and with an escort from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), police said. “So far, eight suspects have been arrested and several vehicles have been seized,” the police said, adding that IDF and Border Police forces were also “conducting enforcement operations” to dismantle illegal settler outposts, address violations of military-issued restraining orders and investigate an “intrusion into a Palestinian home. “This unacceptable attack in Taybeh is part of a broader pattern of settler violence that threatens Palestinian communities and undermines peace efforts,” Ms. Anand said in a statement shared on X. No IDF soldiers were present at the scene when the attack occurred, according to a preliminary military inquiry. The military also said the initial report had been sent to a brigade operations room designated to receive reports from security personnel rather than civilians, adding that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be examined.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also condemned the violence, saying a police investigation had been opened and forensic investigators were collecting evidence to identify those responsible. Mr. Sa’ar, however, noted that the diplomatic delegation’s visit had not been coordinated with the IDF in advance, saying such coordination could have helped safeguard the visitors.
