Belgium’s consul general in Jerusalem calls Israeli occupier attack on diplomats ‘new escalation’

Belgium's consul general in Jerusalem on Sunday described the Israeli occupier attack on an international delegation in the occupied West Bank as a "new escalation," saying masked assailants assaulted a French mayor and damaged a vehicle.

Speaking to Belgian public broadcaster VRT NWS, Anick Van Calster said the delegation joined harvesting olives in Taybeh to help deter occupier violence.

"We hope that violent settlers will be deterred by our diplomatic presence," she said.

The delegation included Belgian, French and Polish diplomats, French Mayor Bernard Baudoux, the archbishop of Cambrai and a local priest.

Van Calster said the group moved toward its vehicles after hearing occupiers were approaching.

"We are diplomats, and we do not seek confrontation," she said.

Masked men arrived in buggies carrying wooden and metal sticks, according to her account.

The vehicle carrying Van Calster escaped, but Baudoux, mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, was attacked and thrown to the ground before entering another car. Occupiers then hurled stones at the departing vehicle, shattering its rear window.

"Attacking diplomats is a new escalation," she said. "The violence has truly reached new heights."

Van Calster said fear of attacks was preventing Palestinian farmers from accessing their land, threatening their livelihoods.

VRT, citing Israeli newspaper Haaretz, reported that the Israeli military failed to act on repeated warnings that included the attackers' location and video footage.

The military launched an investigation, saying the hotline that was contacted was not intended for civilians and the visit should have been coordinated beforehand.

Van Calster disputed the latter assertion, saying diplomats were not required to coordinate such visits under the Oslo Accords.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said Belgium would continue pressing for EU sanctions against those responsible for occupier violence and their supporters.

The EU also condemned the attacks and called for accountability and measures to prevent further violence against Palestinians and journalists.