Netanyahu disputes reports of Israeli attack on European diplomats in West Bank

Prime Minister Netanyahu's office released a statement challenging reports that European diplomats were attacked by masked Israelis in Judea and Samaria, calling for solid evidence before drawing conclusions. The statement notes the diplomatic delegation entered a sensitive area without prior IDF coordination, and included a French Communist Party mayor who previously raised a Palestinian flag. The office says published footage shows masked individuals confronting a diplomatic vehicle and a shattered window, but does not allow determination of the full sequence of events. Israeli Police and forensic investigators have opened an investigation. The Prime Minister's office suggests the reports may be part of a coordinated campaign to defame Israel and Jewish residents during the annual olive harvest season.