Masked Israeli settlers assaulted a delegation of European diplomats and other individuals in the West Bank village of Taybeh on Saturday, escalating tensions in the occupied territory and raising concerns about Israel’s relations with Western countries.

The incident targeted diplomats from Belgium, France, and Poland, as well as Catholic representatives and Palestinians, according to officials. Among those attacked was Bernard Baudoux, a French mayor, who was reportedly assaulted during the event. Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot confirmed the violence and reported damage to a Belgian vehicle. Poland’s Foreign Ministry stated that its diplomats were attacked but sustained no injuries and did not appear to be the direct targets. Both France and Poland condemned the settler violence.

Israeli military officials and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the attacks and attributed blame to Israeli rioters. A police investigation into the incident is ongoing. The Israeli military criticized the diplomats for not coordinating their visit in advance, suggesting that better communication could help avoid such confrontations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called attacks on diplomats “unacceptable” but urged caution against drawing conclusions prematurely. His government has consistently downplayed settler violence, at times dismissing reports as exaggerated. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot described the attacks as acts of “Jewish terror” that threaten Israel’s security.

The Taybeh incident follows a separate attack on Friday in Abu Falah, where dozens of masked settlers reportedly assaulted Palestinians and Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine, who was injured while clearly identified as press.

Israeli settler violence in the West Bank has increased in recent years alongside rapid settlement expansion. Netanyahu has attributed the unrest to a small group of young extremists associated with "Hilltop Youth" networks, who aim to displace Palestinians. Some outposts linked to these groups are illegal under Israeli law and are occasionally dismantled by authorities.

The international community largely considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank a violation of international law, a position Israel disputes. The spate of recent attacks has intensified already fraught relations between Israel and its Western allies, coming as Israel approaches a closely contested national election.