Israeli police arrest ten suspects in attacks on US photojournalist, diplomats

Ten suspects were arrested on Thursday by Israeli police in connection with recent attacks on an American photojournalist and several European diplomats in the occupied West Bank, authorities said. The arrests followed incidents in the settlement of Kiryat Arba and nearby Hebron where the journalist was assaulted with a baton and the diplomats were briefly detained and threatened by a group of settlers on June 26.

The incidents have heightened concerns about a surge in extremist settler violence that has plagued the region since the start of the year. Human‑rights groups say attacks on journalists and foreign officials undermine press freedom and diplomatic immunity, and they risk inflaming already fragile Israeli‑Palestinian relations. The United States and the European Union have repeatedly warned that such behavior could jeopardise aid and cooperation, especially as peace talks remain stalled and settlement expansion continues.

Police said the ten men, all residents of Kiryat Arba, were identified through CCTV footage and witness statements. The American photographer, who works for a major news agency, suffered a concussion and bruises before being taken to an Israeli hospital. The European diplomats, representing France, Germany and the United Kingdom, were released unharmed after a brief interrogation by the settlers. Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Ya’alon condemned the attacks, calling them “unacceptable acts of intimidation” and promising swift prosecution. The U.S. State Department issued a statement urging Israel to protect journalists, while the EU’s diplomatic corps called for “immediate accountability” and a review of security protocols for foreign missions in the territories.

The suspects are expected to appear before a Jerusalem district court later this week on charges of assault, illegal restraint and hate‑motivated violence. Israeli officials say the arrests are part of a broader crackdown on extremist settler groups, but critics argue that prosecutions have been rare and sentences lenient. Observers will watch whether the case leads to harsher penalties, which could signal a shift in Israel’s handling of settler aggression and affect its diplomatic standing with the United States and Europe.