Israel Fires at Foreign Diplomats: Reactions from Countries

The Israel Defense Forces fired warning shots at a delegation of international diplomats in the city of Jenin. According to international media reports, the incident occurred when the delegation was visiting Jenin. The delegation included representatives from the European Union, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China.

According to Palestinian authorities, the diplomats were in the city to assess the situation on the ground when Israeli soldiers opened fire in their direction. The Israeli army claims that the delegation deviated from an agreed-upon route, prompting soldiers to fire in an attempt to disperse them from the area.

Governments from over ten countries have reacted strongly to the incident, condemning Israel’s actions as unacceptable. The Israeli side emphasizes that the shots fired were purely precautionary and had no intention of harming the diplomats.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the firing by Israeli soldiers towards a group of diplomats in Jenin, including an employee of the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem, and called for an investigation into the incident. The German Foreign Ministry stated on social media: “We condemn this undeniable attack in the strongest terms.”

Belgium’s Foreign Minister, Maxime Prevet, commented that the visit had been pre-arranged with the Israeli army, and that the diplomats moved in a convoy of “clearly identifiable vehicles.”

“Shots were fired at those diplomats, including UN staff. Whether they were warning shots or not, this is unacceptable,” said the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “It is clear that diplomats who are carrying out their work should never be subjected to gunfire or any attack.” The UN representative has called upon the Israeli side to take measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.