American diplomats visited the Christian Palestinian town of Taybeh in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, days after masked Israeli settlers attacked European diplomats, journalists, and Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. Diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland were targeted on Saturday, a day after an American photojournalist was hospitalized following an assault at a separate harvest site. Israeli officials blamed what they called “Israeli rioters” for the attack, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested the diplomats had entered a sensitive area without coordinating with the military. The United States has endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election but has shown little willingness to pressure his pro-settler government to change course. Settler attacks have surged during the harvest season, with an Israeli human rights group counting at least 170 incidents since late September.

Full report: US officials visit Palestinian village after settler attacks on diplomats.