Israeli army confirmed the shots. European countries require authors to be held responsible
A Portuguese diplomat was among the delegation of ambassadors who was shot by the Israeli army in Jenin, in the busy West Bank. None was injured.
Palestinian news agency Wafa shared images of the attacks, where at least two uniformed Israelites are fired at a group of people who were giving interviews.
The group of regional, European, Asian, African and Western diplomats was by the entrance to the Jenin Refugee Field when they heard fire just before 2:00 pm (12:00 in Lisbon).
Watch: Israeli occupation forces fired live ammunition at a diplomatic delegation while it was at the entrance to Jenin camp to view the tragic situation in the camp.
— WAFA News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish)
Hours later, the Israeli Army confirmed that its military “fired shots” against a diplomatic delegation, which included the Portuguese diplomat, claiming that it did it after the group was “diverted from the approved route” by the authorities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal confirmed that in this delegation was the head of representation of Portugal in Ramallah, Frederico Nascimento, and that it is safe.
In addition to Portuguese representation, representatives of the European Union (EU), Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, United Kingdom, Russia, Turkey, China, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco, as well as an undetermined number of diplomats from other countries.
EU’s head of diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, urged Israel to investigate the Israeli army shots to be held responsible. Any threat to the lives of diplomats is “unacceptable,” said Kaja Kallas.
“We appeal to Israel to investigate this incident and also to hold responsible for those responsible,” said the EU high representative for Foreign Affairs and security policy at a press conference held on the fringes of the European Bloc and the African Union heads, which takes place in Brussels.
The first reaction to the incident came from the Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, who described the Israeli army’s warning shots against diplomats in the West Bank as “unacceptable” threats.
“We appeal to the Israeli government to immediately clarify what happened. Threats against diplomats are unacceptable,” he reported on social network X.
The Italian deputy Alessandro Tutino, “who is fine” and with whom the minister spoke, “was among the diplomats who were allegedly attacked with firearms near the Jenin refugee camp,” he added.
Also the government of Spain confirmed the presence of a Spanish diplomat in the delegation, adding that it “is well”.
“The ministry is investigating everything that has happened. We are in contact with the other countries involved to give a joint response to what happened, which we vehemently condemn,” said the Spanish MNE, in a short statement sent to the French agency AFP.
