American diplomats visited the Palestinian village of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, October 18, following a series of Taybeh settler attacks that also injured European diplomats and a United States photojournalist. The US delegation’s trip to the village underscored Washington’s concern over rising settler violence against Palestinian civilians, journalists and foreign officials.
FAKTA
- The US delegation visited Taybeh on Sunday, October 18, 2026, including Riley Barnes and Brian Burch.
- Riley Barnes serves as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor; Brian Burch is the US ambassador to the Holy See.
- On Saturday, masked Israeli settlers attacked Belgian, French and Polish diplomats, a French mayor and Palestinian civilians near Taybeh.
- A day earlier, Heidi Levine, a photojournalist for the Washington Post, was taken to hospital after being assaulted while covering a Palestinian olive harvest.
- US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee demanded that those who attacked Levine, an American citizen, be jailed.
- Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar and the military blamed “Israeli rioters” for the attack on the diplomats; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the diplomats had entered a “sensitive area” without prior coordination.
- The Israeli rights group Yesh Din reported at least 170 settler attacks since September 27.
Delegation Meets Taybeh’s Christian Community
The American diplomats visited Taybeh’s Latin Convent church and met members of the local Christian community. Taybeh is a Palestinian Christian village in the West Bank, known for its historic churches and surrounding olive groves.
The visit came after two days of reported attacks. On Saturday, masked settlers confronted a group that included Belgian, French and Polish diplomats, a French mayor and Palestinian civilians near the village. The previous day, Levine was assaulted while documenting the olive harvest in a different West Bank area and had to be hospitalized. The incidents have renewed calls for stronger protection for journalists and local communities, and rights groups have urged thorough investigations.
Reactions Highlight Rising Tensions
Netanyahu took a cautious line on the violence. He stated that the European diplomats had entered an area with a history of confrontations without coordinating with the Israeli military in advance, and described the facts surrounding the attack on Levine as “unclear.” France called for the arrest of those behind the assaults, but no arrests had been announced by Sunday.
The incidents struck during the olive harvest season, which provides a vital income for many Palestinian families. Rights groups warn that violence and intimidation can prevent farmers from reaching their land and collecting their crops.
The Taybeh visit took place as the United States continued engaging with Israeli leaders. On the same day, President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s parliamentary election on October 27, while Huckabee attended a settler conference in the West Bank. Earlier reporting covered a settler attack on European diplomats near Taybeh.
