Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the opposition Yesh Atid party and former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration of fostering what he termed “Jewish terrorism” in the occupied West Bank. The statement came in the wake of an attack by masked settlers on a European diplomatic delegation near the town of Tira, east of Ramallah.
Eisenkot posted on X on Saturday, describing the assault as a serious attack that jeopardizes both security and Israel’s international standing. He warned against the escalating consequences of settler violence, emphasizing the gravity of targeting foreign officials.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also condemned the incident and announced that police have opened an investigation. However, Saar noted that the visit had not been coordinated in advance with the military. He confirmed that the Foreign Ministry is in contact with the ambassadors of the concerned countries to identify the perpetrators and bring them to trial.
According to Army Radio, forces did not arrive at the scene until approximately three hours after receiving a report containing the location coordinates. Reports indicate that seven masked settlers surrounded a diplomatic vehicle and demanded identification from its occupants before smashing the windows of a car belonging to the Belgian Consulate.
The delegation, which included representatives from France, Belgium, and Poland, was inspecting olive harvest sites near Tira when the attack occurred. In circulated video footage, Bernard Baudouin, mayor of Oullins in northern France, was seen lying on the ground following the incident.
The assault occurs amid a surge in settler attacks against Palestinians and their land during the olive picking season. According to the Wall Resistance and Separation Barrier Resistance Authority, more than 45 thousand trees were cut or damaged in the West Bank during the first half of 2026. This figure includes over 26 thousand olive trees specifically targeted during this period.
