Israeli troops fire 'warning shots' at 25 diplomats visiting occupied West Bank

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Guardian

Israeli troops have fired “warning shots” at a group of 25 diplomats who were visiting Jenin, in the Israel-occupied West Bank, on an official mission organised by the Palestinian Authority to observe the humanitarian situation there.

The Israeli military said the visit had been approved, but the delegation “deviated from the approved route” and Israeli soldiers fired warning shots to distance them from the area.

Footage shows a number of diplomats giving media interviews when rapid shots rang out nearby, forcing them to run for cover. The delegation comprised ambassadors and diplomats representing 31 countries, including Italy, Canada, Egypt, Jordan and the UK.
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The British, French and other European ministers summoned the Israeli ambassadors in their respective capitals to explain the “unacceptable” incident, which will fuel already growing international anger and concern as Israel continues its offensive in Gaza and ramps up the expansion of settlements in the West Bank that are illegal under international law.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/21/israeli-troops-fire-warning-shots-25-diplomats-visiting-occupied-west-bank

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Spain has said it “strongly condemns” Israeli army fire on a diplomatic delegation that was visiting the flashpoint city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, foreign ministry sources told AFP.

“There was a Spaniard in the group of diplomats who is well. We are in contact with other affected countries to jointly coordinate a response to what happened, which we strongly condemn,” the sources said.

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EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has urged Israel to hold accountable those responsible for firing warning shots during foreign diplomats’ visit to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. It took place near the city of Jenin, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups and a frequent target of Israeli raids.

The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of having “deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation”.

The Israeli military said “the delegation deviated from the approved route”, prompting troops to fire “warning shoots” to keep them away from “an area where they were not authorised to be”.

In a statement, the military said it “regrets the inconvenience caused” by the shooting, which resulted in no injuries, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Wednesday that he would summon the Israeli ambassador after diplomats came under fire by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Jenin.

Barrot, writing in a post on social media platform X, called the incident “unacceptable” and said the ambassador would be required to explain.

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Two Irish diplomats were among the European delegation that shots were fired in the vicinity of by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Ireland’s government said.

Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris condemned the incident “in the strongest terms” and said it was “completely unacceptable”.

“I am shocked and appalled at reports that the IDF fired shots in the vicinity of a visit to Jenin today by a group of diplomats, including two Irish diplomats based in Ramallah,” Harris said in a statement.

“Fortunately, no one was hurt. This is completely unacceptable and I condemn it in the strongest terms.”

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The Turkish foreign ministry said that some diplomats from its consulate in Jerusalem were present and were among those targeted in the incident, which it said“endangered the lives of diplomats”.

Turkey condemned “in the strongest terms the opening of fire by Israeli soldiers”, and called for an investigation and accountability for those responsible.

“We call on the international community to condemn this dangerous act in the strongest possible terms and to take concrete steps to bring an end to Israel’s impunity,” the ministry said.

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Caspar Veldkamp, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, has condemned the shooting and said he has “requested clarification from the Israeli authorities.”

The Netherlands is “considering further steps,” he wrote on X, adding:

Diplomats should be able to do their work and threatening them is unacceptable.

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