Israeli court releases most settler suspects in West Bank assault cases
An Israeli court ordered the release of nine settler suspects arrested over recent attacks in the occupied West Bank, leaving one in custody. The cases involved an assault on a US photojournalist during the olive harvest and a separate attack on European diplomats and a French mayor. A UN official said the situation in the Palestinian territory was beyond control.
A Jerusalem court late Wednesday released nine of ten detained settlers to house arrest; police said one remained in custody as inquiries continue. The arrests followed a masked assault on Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine during the olive harvest, which required finger surgery, and a separate attack on French, Belgian and Polish diplomats and a French mayor.
Palestinian officials documented 409 October attacks, 317 by settlers and 92 by Israeli forces, most in Nablus and Salfit. They cited olive-tree burning near Imatin, stolen harvest bags near Yabad, and road closures around Jenin. A Burqa resident died October 7 after settler gunfire while picking olives, the commission said. UN chief Antonio Guterres called the territory beyond control.
The release of most suspects may deepen Palestinian farmers’ sense of vulnerability during the olive harvest, since attacks can disrupt income, movement and safety. It could also raise concerns among journalists and diplomats about protection when documenting or observing such incidents. For Israeli institutions, the outcome may reinforce perceptions that settler violence rarely faces sustained legal consequences, potentially widening distrust and complicating efforts by international partners to press for accountability.