Ten arrested in West Bank raids after attacks on journalist and foreign diplomats
Police and Shin Bet carried out a dawn operation in the Binyamin area following weekend violence during the Palestinian olive harvest
Israeli security forces arrested 10 suspects early Monday in a West Bank operation launched after attacks on a journalist and foreign diplomats over the weekend, police said.
The raids, dubbed “Operation Olive Leaf,” targeted several locations in the Binyamin area, north of Jerusalem. Police and Shin Bet personnel were accompanied by Border Police and Israeli troops, with aerial support from the police’s Rakia unit.
Police said the arrests concerned suspected involvement in the violence, violations of military orders restricting access to closed areas, and illegal construction.
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Investigators seized several vehicles and material that police said linked suspects to the alleged offenses. The detainees were taken for questioning, with court appearances to follow depending on the evidence gathered.
The operation followed two separate incidents that drew international condemnation. On Friday, Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was injured when Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives near Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. Levine, an American citizen, had been covering the harvest.
A day later, European diplomats visiting nearby Taybeh were attacked, allegedly by settlers. The Washington Post reported that the delegation had joined Palestinian olive pickers and that the Belgian consul’s vehicle was also targeted.
Police assigned the investigation to the central investigative unit of their West Bank district. Officers have collected witness accounts and other evidence since the weekend, according to the statement.
District commander Moshe Pinchi said the raids were intended to locate those involved and build cases that would allow authorities to prosecute them.
In a statement following the arrests, Police Commissioner Danny Levy said enforcement in the West Bank must apply equally, regardless of identity or affiliation. He also distinguished between security agencies’ responsibility to prevent violence and the police’s role in investigating offenses after they occur.