Russia condemns Israeli settler assault on its diplomatic vehicle in the West Bank
Moscow reports that Israeli forces failed to intervene while settlers attacked a Russian diplomatic vehicle and issued verbal threats to its diplomats
Moscow has filed a formal protest with Israel over an Israeli settler attack on a Russian diplomatic vehicle near an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Tuesday that Moscow viewed the incident as a “gross violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations” and expressed “bewilderment and disapproval” that it occurred “with the connivance of Israeli military personnel.”
According to Zakharova, the vehicle belonging to Russia’s mission to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and carrying diplomatic plates was attacked on July 30 near the illegal settlement of Giv’at Asaf, east of Ramallah and about 20km (12 miles) north of Jerusalem. The settlers caused mechanical damage and issued verbal threats to Russian diplomats, while Israeli soldiers present “did not even bother to stop” the attackers.
Russian media reported the vehicle was transporting members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to the PA, who are also accredited with Israel’s Foreign Ministry. The Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv has sent a demarche to Israeli authorities, Zakharova added.
At a UN Security Council session on Tuesday, Russia’s first deputy permanent representative, Dmitry Polyansky, highlighted the incident, saying it came as “Israeli authorities have embraced the policy of cleansing and colonising” Palestinian territories. He warned that such actions targeting Palestinians and even foreign nationals threaten regional stability and could push the Middle East “to the brink of a major war.”
Violence by Israeli settlers and soldiers in the occupied West Bank has escalated sharply since October 2023. According to UN figures, between January 1, 2024, and early July 2025, nearly 650 Palestinians including 121 children were killed by Israeli forces and settlers. Another 5,269 Palestinians, including 1,029 children, were injured, with settler attacks alone causing more than 2,200 casualties and incidents of property damage.
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