Foreign diplomats under Israeli shelling in the West Bank

Foreign diplomats under Israeli shelling in the West Bank

The Israeli military handed over warning shots on a large delegation of European and Arabic diplomats on Wednesday, which an official visit to the Refugee camp Jenin undertook in the occupied West Jordanland. This incident caused immediate convictions.

The diplomats and their mission

The delegation consisted of representatives of more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Canada and others. The aim of her official mission was to get an overview of the humanitarian situation in the besieged camp. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority described the incident as a "Conscious and illegal Act ".

incident and reactions

Videos of the incident show how Israeli soldiers fire towards the delegation, while it withdraws from a goal that blocks access. At least four shots can be heard in the background. A member of the delegation indicates the group: "Hold yourself close to the wall!" while you are moving away from the scene.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Israeli occupation government was completely and directly responsible for this criminal assault and emphasized that such acts would not remain without consequences.

reaction of the Israeli armed forces

The Israeli defense forces (IDF) stated that the visit to the warehouse, the scene of an extensive military operation, was coordinated in advance. This operation destroyed more than 100 buildings and affected thousands of families. The military leadership initiated a first examination when it became clear that the group was a diplomatic delegation.

"The delegation deviated from the approved route and entered an area in which they were not authorized," said the military in a statement on Wednesday. The IDF added that soldiers have given warning shots in this area to distance the delegation. The IDF announced that the delegations were informed about the results of the first investigations and regretted the inconvenience caused.

international reactions

According to the incident, Kaja Kallas, the high representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, expressed that "any threats to the life of diplomats are unacceptable". Kallas asked Israel to investigate this incident and to hold those responsible.

The Italian Foreign Ministry ordered the Israeli ambassador to receive an official clarification. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani asked Israel to "immediately clarify what happened" after a phone call with the Italian vice consul in Jerusalem, Alessandro Tutino, who was part of the delegation in Jenin.

Tajani added in a contribution on social media: "The threats to diplomats are unacceptable."