EU calls Israeli gunfire around foreign diplomats in Jenin ‘unacceptable’

Threatening gunfire from Israel on Wednesday near foreign diplomats at the entrance to a West Bank refugee camp is “unacceptable,” said the EU foreign policy chief, Anadolu reports.

“Any threats on diplomats’ lives are unacceptable,” Kaja Kallas said during a European Union-African Union meeting.

She urged Israel to investigate the incident and to hold those responsible accountable.

On X, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot expressed “shock” about the incident and demanded a “convincing” explanation from Israel.

“We ask the government of Israel to immediately clarify what happened. The threats against diplomats are unacceptable,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on X.

He also said he had instructed the secretary general of Italy’s Foreign Ministry to summon the Israeli ambassador to Rome to obtain “official clarification” on the incident.

“A visit to Jenin, in which one of our diplomats was taking part, came under fire from Israeli soldiers. This is unacceptable. The Israeli ambassador will be summoned to provide an explanation,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X.

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He voiced support for French personnel on the ground, working under “challenging conditions.”

“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. Fortunately, no-one was hurt. This is completely unacceptable and I condemn it in the strongest terms,” said Simon Harris, Ireland’s tanaiste (deputy prime minister) and minister of foreign affairs, trade, and defense, said in a statement.

A spokeswoman from the German Foreign Ministry “strongly condemned” the “unprovoked firing,” and asked for clarification from the Israeli government.

“The independent observer role of the diplomats on the ground is indispensable and in no way represents a threat to Israeli security interests,” she added.

The Spanish government “strongly condemned” the shooting in a written statement.

“We demand an immediate and transparent investigation into this extremely serious incident, and that Israel, as the occupying power, respect international law and its obligation to protect diplomatic agents,” it said.

Israeli forces opened fire to intimidate a foreign diplomatic delegation upon its arrival at an entrance to the Jenin refugee camp, a Palestinian official told Anadolu.

According to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, the delegation included diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, the EU, Portugal, China, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Turkiye, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Japan, Romania, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Canada, India, Chile, France, and the UK, along with representatives from several other countries.

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