Poland’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned an attack by masked Israeli settlers on a delegation of European diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, saying the incident underscores the daily violence faced by Palestinians in the territory.
The assault took place on Saturday when representatives from France, Belgium and Poland, along with Catholic church officials, visited the predominantly Christian Palestinian village of Taybeh near Ramallah. The group had travelled to the area to assess the situation following repeated attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians attempting to harvest olives on their own land.
Maciej Wewiór, spokesman for Poland’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that Polish diplomats were among those targeted but said none had been injured. “We express our deep outrage and strongly condemn this incident,” he said in a statement issued on Saturday afternoon. “Attacks on representatives of the diplomatic corps are absolutely unacceptable.”
According to the Polish Foreign Ministry, Warsaw now expects urgent explanations from Israeli authorities and demands that perpetrators be identified and held accountable. The ministry also called for effective measures to prevent similar incidents in future.
French mayor assaulted, diplomatic vehicle damaged
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, reported that Bernard Baudoux, mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, was violently assaulted during the attack. Parts of the incident were captured on camera, showing masked individuals confronting the delegation.
Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prevot, said a Belgian vehicle was damaged in the assault and announced his country would continue pressing for EU sanctions against those responsible for settler violence and their supporters.
In a follow-up statement on Sunday, Poland’s Foreign Ministry described the assault as an attack on a solidarity visit to a town known for its centuries-old Christian presence. The ministry said the incident “is further evidence of the settler violence that the Palestinian population in the West Bank faces on a daily basis” and called for a decisive response from Israeli authorities.
International condemnation and Israeli response
The European Union’s diplomatic service strongly condemned the attack on Sunday, demanding full accountability and effective measures to prevent continued violence and harassment against Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially urged caution before drawing conclusions, claiming there is a coordinated campaign to smear Israel and Jewish residents of the West Bank. However, the Israel Defence Forces issued a condemnation of what it called a “severe act of violence”, though it noted that the consulate visit had not been coordinated with the IDF.
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, also condemned the attack and confirmed that police had opened an investigation.
The diplomatic delegation incident occurred a day after approximately 80 Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives, injuring several people including Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine. She told the Committee to Protect Journalists that masked settlers pushed her to the ground and kicked her for roughly ten minutes.
Escalating tensions between Poland and Israel
The West Bank attack marks the latest in a series of diplomatic strains between Poland and Israel. In August this year, Poland summoned Israel’s ambassador to express disappointment that the IDF had discontinued an investigation into strikes on a Gaza aid convoy in 2024 that killed seven humanitarian workers, including Polish national Damian Soból.
In May, Poland issued a five-year entry ban on Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for his treatment of detained activists, including Polish citizens, from a flotilla attempting to reach Gaza.
Last year, Israel criticised Prime Minister Donald Tusk after he suggested that Israeli politicians are causing the starvation of mothers and children in Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry called the remarks unacceptable and urged Tusk to remember the lessons of the Holocaust.
What this means for Poles in Poland
This incident reinforces Poland’s increasingly assertive stance on Middle East policy, particularly regarding the treatment of Palestinians and the protection of diplomatic personnel. Poles working in diplomatic roles or humanitarian organisations in the region should be aware that tensions remain high, especially in the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest season.
The attack also demonstrates that Polish foreign policy under the Tusk government continues to challenge Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories, which may have implications for bilateral relations. Polish citizens planning to travel to Israel or the Palestinian territories should consult the Foreign Ministry’s travel advice and be aware of the security situation, particularly in the West Bank where settler violence has been escalating.
Those with family members serving in Poland’s diplomatic corps in the region can expect heightened security protocols following this incident. The Foreign Ministry’s firm response suggests Poland will continue to demand accountability from Israeli authorities for attacks on international representatives.
