 "Israeli troops fire 'warning shots' near diplomats during West Bank visit. Image: AFP")
Over a dozen governments around the world condemned Israel after its forces fired towards a diplomatic delegation near the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank.
Following the incident, the Israeli army said that its soldiers fired “warning shots” after the foreign diplomats, who included representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Russia and China, deviated from a previously agreed-on route.
“[Israeli] soldiers operating in the area fired warning shots to distance them away,” Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday. While no one was injured, the firing garnered condemnation from all around the world.
How the world reacted
- Canada
Shortly after the incident, the Israeli ambassador was summoned by the Canadian foreign ministry, which also demanded an explanation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the situation “totally unacceptable” and said Canada expects an explanation of what happened. “It’s some of many things that are totally unacceptable that’s going on in the region,” Carney said at a press conference on Parliament Hill Wednesday.
- UK
UK Under-Secretary of State Hamish Falconer said that he has spoken to diplomats affected by the incident. " Civilians must always be protected, and diplomats allowed to do their jobs. There must be a full investigation, and those responsible should be held accountable."
- France
Meanwhile, an opposition lawmaker in France called on the government to expel Israel’s ambassador and close the Israeli embassy in Paris, asserting that summoning him is not enough. Thomas Porte, a member of the left-wing La France Insoumise party, issued a statement condemning the incident.
“Israeli war criminals shoot diplomats, including a Frenchman… and France summons the Israeli ambassador,” Porte wrote on X, criticising the decision to limit the response to a diplomatic summons.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also stated the matter. “A visit to Jenin, in which one of our diplomats was participating, was fired upon by Israeli soldiers. This is unacceptable. The Israeli ambassador will be summoned to explain. Full support to our agents on site and their remarkable work in trying conditions,” he said in the statement.
- Italy
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said: “We ask the government of Israel to immediately clarify what happened. The threats against diplomats are unacceptable.”
- Germany
The Federal Foreign Office strongly condemned the “unprovoked fire” towards the diplomats. “The group was travelling in the West Bank in the course of its diplomatic work and coordination with the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli army. The role of diplomats as independent observers on the ground is indispensable and in no way represents a threat to Israeli security interests,” the office said in the statement following the attack.
- Qatar
The Qatari foreign minister also demanded answers from Israel. “The state of Qatar strongly condemns the Israeli occupation forces for opening fire on an international diplomatic delegation during its visit to the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, and considers as a violation of international laws, conventions, and diplomatic norms,” the ministry said in a statement.
- Mexico
The Mexican Foreign Ministry rejected the Israeli military’s claim that the diplomatic delegation had invaded an ‘unauthorised area’. “What happened violates the provisions of Article 29 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which establishes the inviolability of diplomatic agents. All States Parties to the aforementioned Convention, including Israel, are obliged to respect it,” the ministry said in a statement. The Mexican ministry also demanded clarification on the matter from the Israeli embassy in the country.
With inputs from agencies.