Netanyahu says 'smear' campaign targeting settlers as attack on French mayor draws condemnation

What Happened

Israeli settlers attacked Bernard Baudoux, a 78-year-old French mayor, in the occupied West Bank, drawing international condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office alleged a 'smear' campaign against settlers and said European diplomats should have coordinated their movements with the Israeli military; Netanyahu described Baudoux as a communist known for supporting the Palestinian cause. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main election rival and former army chief, accused the government of sponsoring 'Jewish terrorism' and said the violence was 'burning away the little legitimacy the State of Israel still possesses'. On Saturday, US Ambassador Mike Huckabee demanded Israel prosecute and jail the assailants in a separate Thursday attack on Washington Post journalist Heidi Levine, who was beaten by settlers while covering Israeli harassment of Palestinians harvesting olives; Huckabee called for a full investigation, arrest, and prosecution.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The incidents intensify scrutiny of settler violence in the occupied West Bank during the annual olive harvest and place the Israeli government under pressure from both the US and European states. Eisenkot's accusation that the government sponsors 'Jewish terrorism' injects the issue into the Israeli election campaign, while Huckabee's demand for prosecution signals that even close allies expect accountability for attacks on journalists and foreign officials.

Watch For

Monitor whether Israeli authorities announce arrests or charges in the attacks on Bernard Baudoux and Heidi Levine, particularly after Huckabee's public demand. Watch for further French or European diplomatic responses, any official Israeli investigation findings, and whether additional settler attacks occur during the olive harvest. Also track how the issue is used in the Israeli election campaign by Netanyahu and Eisenkot.