Israel police arrest suspects over settler attacks

Israeli police say they have arrested 10 people in the West Bank after settler attacks on an American photographer and a French mayor.

The arrests were made after calls from the United States to crack down on settler violence and for the perpetrators of the attack on the Washington Post photojournalist to be jailed. 

France, Belgium and Poland, whose diplomats were attacked, have also called on Israel to take action.

The police said that they raided several locations across the West Bank and also seized potential evidence related to the attacks, which have stepped up as settlers disrupt Palestinians' annual olive harvest.

"Following the severe incidents of violence over the past weekend, including the assault of a media worker and the suspected attacks on foreign civilians, an arrest operation was conducted before dawn," said Major General Moshe Finchi, the Israeli police's West Bank commander.

"Suspects were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the violent incidents, violating a military commander's order concerning a closed military zone, and illegal construction."

The attacks come after global outrage over mounting settler violence in the West Bank.

Masked settlers

Masked Israeli settlers were filmed on Friday assaulting Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine, a US citizen, who was covering a Palestinian olive harvest in the West Bank. 

Levine was hospitalised after sustaining a number of injuries in the attack and underwent surgery on a finger.

On Saturday, French, Belgian and Polish diplomats as well as a French mayor were attacked by masked settlers in another part of the West Bank. 

The settlers beat up Bernard Baudoux, 78, the mayor of the northern French town of Aulnoye-Aymeries, an advocate of the Palestinian cause who had come on a goodwill visit and was helping harvest olives.

A Belgian diplomatic vehicle was also damaged.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and the military have blamed "Israeli rioters" for the attack on the diplomats.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose religious-nationalist coalition is projected to lose its governing majority at the October 27 election, has been more circumspect.

He has said the diplomats entered a "sensitive area with a history of confrontations" and without coordinating with the military. 

He has also said that the facts ​of the attack on Levine were "unclear".

Levine has said she was attacked by settlers and Israel President Isaac Herzog has apologised.

Settler attacks ​on the Palestinians ⁠are surging, with at least 170 since September 27, according to Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights group. 

Journalists, Israeli activists and foreign observers have also been targeted.

'Stain on Israel's image'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing a tight race for a new mandate in October 27 elections, has tried to shore up his right-wing base and had cast doubt on the circumstances behind the recent settler attacks.

The opposition described the attacks on Westerners as a stain on Israel's image and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of allowing the violence to happen.

Rights groups note that Israel rarely prosecutes settlers when the victims are Palestinian. 

Settler attacks against Palestinians, including killings, beatings, vandalism and arson, averaged six a day in the first half of the year, according to the United Nations.