The European Union Delegation to the Palestinians said that a delegation of diplomats and activists was "violently harassed" by Israeli settlers while touring Wadi a-Siq, near Ramallah, in the West Bank on Wednesday.
1/2 Today, during a diplomatic visit to Palestinian communities in Area C, already displaced or threatened by displacement, European and other diplomatic missions were violently harassed by Israeli settlers.
— EU and Palestinians (@EUpalestinians) September 20, 2023
"We reiterate our concern over the growing problem of settler violence and call on IL authorities to take action against violent settlers, dismantle illegal outposts and provide protection for the occupied Palestinian population," said the EU delegation.
סיור דיפלומטים על קהילות מאוימות מתוודע לנציגים האלימים של ״אם תרצו״. תודה לאם תרצו על הסרת המסכות, בעזרתם הדוחות שייצאו בעקבות הסיור יתווכו לעולם את האמת על הטיהור האתני בגדה המערבית ועל אלימות המתנחלים. pic.twitter.com/pj0T1L3z9D
— מסתכלים לכיבוש בעיניים (@Mistaclim) September 20, 2023
Video from the scene published by B'Tselem and "Looking the Occupation in the Eye" showed right-wing activists from the Choosing Life forum and Im Tirzu shouting slogans at the delegation and carrying a sign reading "European Union stop funding terrorists in Israel."
B'Tselem claimed that the right-wing activists entered land owned privately by Palestinians while armed and that one of them waved a firearm around. Footage from the scene showed the two groups scuffling and shouting at each other.
פעילי ימין חמושים הפריעו לסיור דיפלומטים שארגן בצלם, אחד נופף באקדח בשטח B. המשטרה הפלסטינית עצרה אותם. pic.twitter.com/1lAGKt2zgL
— B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) September 20, 2023
B'Tselem added that the delegation moved to the village of Taybeh, which is in Area B, but the right-wing protesters followed them there as well.
Right-wing activists claim they were shot at
Im Tirzu claimed that during the protest in Taybeh, the right-wing activists were surrounded by Palestinians who shot at them. The movement published footage in which the activists could be seen driving in the village while calling the police. "No terrorist and no subversive person will deter us from revealing the truth," said Im Tirzu.
חובה צפיה: תיעוד חילוץ לאחור של הפעילים שלנו בעקבות ירי עליהם מרובה קלאצ'- ניסיון רצח נגד פעילים שלנו על אמת בכניסה לכפר א-טייבה לא רחוק מעופרה.במזל הכדורים לא פגעו בנו. כל זה במהלך פעילות שלנו לחשיפת סיור חתרנות מדינית של ארגון השמאל הקיצוני בצלם ביחד עם משלחת של דיפלומטים… pic.twitter.com/wGQxdVLfGi
— תנועת אם תרצו (@ImTirtzu) September 20, 2023
Both the left-wing and right-wing organizations said that some of the right-wing activists were detained by the Palestinian Authority's security forces during the incident. According to Im Tirzu, the IDF intervened and the right-wing activists were released.