EU 'strongly condemns' settler attack on delegation in West Bank

The European Union said Sunday that it "strongly condemns" an attack the previous day by a group of Israeli settlers on visiting European diplomats in the occupied West Bank. "The EU strongly condemns the latest attacks by violent settlers in the West Bank, including on European diplomats," the foreign service said in a communique. The communique also urged "full accountability as well as effective measures to prevent continued acts of violence and violent harassment against Palestinians, including during the ongoing olive harvest season, as well as against journalists. "We urge Israel to fully abide by International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, and to cease the expansion of settlements," the statement concluded. Saturday saw Israeli settlers attack a convoy of European diplomats in the West Bank and beat up a visiting French mayor, witnesses said, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned against a brewing "crisis" in the territory a day after an American photojournalist was injured in a brutal settler attack.