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Arab League urges int’l legal action after Israel fires towards diplomats in West Bank

May 22, 2025 at 2:39 pm

Foreign diplomatic delegation visits the Jenin refugee camp and conducts inspections in the region on May 21, 2025 in Jenin, West Bank. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

The Arab League has called for international legal proceedings against Israel after Israeli occupation forces fired in the direction of a diplomatic convoy in Jenin in the occupied West Bank yesterday. The convoy, comprising diplomats from over 30 countries, was on an official visit to assess humanitarian conditions in the area.

Ambassador Majed Abdel Fattah, the Arab League’s permanent representative to the United Nations, described the incident as a “clear and explicit violation” of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

“What happened is a clear and explicit violation. The occupation opened fire on the diplomatic representative accredited to Western and Arab countries alike, and this must be put to an end,” Abdel Fattah emphasised.

He urged affected nations to incorporate this event into the ongoing case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel’s crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip.

READ: China calls for probe into Israeli gunfire during diplomats’ visit to Jenin

He continued: “When there is an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, it can strengthen the authority of the UN General Assembly to issue resolutions that carry a degree of legal force. This, in turn, could help overcome the obstacle of the US veto used to defend Israel.”

Several countries whose ambassadors and diplomats were present during the incident summoned the Israeli ambassadors in their respective capitals. The act also drew strong condemnation from multiple states, including Germany.

The Israeli military acknowledged the incident, stating that “warning shots” were fired after the delegation deviated from a pre-approved route, according to Al Jazeera.

However, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the visit had been coordinated in advance and that the delegation was travelling in clearly marked diplomatic vehicles.

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