Netanyahu dismisses settler attack on French mayor as 'smear' amid West Bank olive harvest tensions

Israeli PM Netanyahu alleges a coordinated campaign to discredit settlers during the olive harvest, following a violent attack by settlers on a French mayor in the occupied West Bank. The incident has drawn international condemnation, but Netanyahu's office frames it as unverified sensationalism. This marks a notable escalation in settler violence against foreign officials, potentially straining Israel-France relations and highlighting the volatile harvest season.