UK presses Israel over detention of British activist in West Bank

A 22-year-old British student activist, Finn Joughin, was forcibly removed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Umm Al-Kheir after intervening in a dispute over a fence. Israeli police asserted that the settler community detained him on suspicion of an indecent act against a minor and handed him over for questioning, though fellow activists dispute the allegation. The UK Foreign Office confirmed it has raised the case with Israeli officials and is seeking further details.

The episode unfolded against a backdrop of heightened settler attacks on Palestinians, prompting criticism from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Additional clashes were reported in Qusra and Jalud, where foreign journalists were also injured. US ambassador Mike Huckabee expressed disgust at the actions of a minority of settlers, emphasizing that most Israelis live peacefully.