Israeli soldiers fire near diplomats on visit to occupied West Bank

The Israeli military said that it fired near a diplomatic delegation which it claimed deviated from an approved route in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.

Diplomatic sources said European diplomats were part of the delegation to the West Bank city of Jenin.

The military claimed "the delegation deviated from the approved route and entered an area where they were not authorised to be" and that soldiers fired "warning shots to distance them away." It added that no injuries or damage were reported.

Footage on Alaraby television showed individuals running to vehicles with diplomatic license plates as shots were heard in the distance.

The Palestinian Authority's Foreign Ministry said "the delegation was undertaking an official mission to observe and assess the humanitarian situation and document the ongoing violations perpetrated by" Israel. The ministry called the Israeli military's actions a violation of international law.

Calls for an investigation, Israeli envoys summoned

The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said she had heard about the incident which happened on a visit by diplomats organised by the Palestinian Authority.

"We definitely call on Israel to investigate this incident and also held these accountable who are responsible for this and any threats on diplomats' lives," she said.

The Spanish foreign ministry said a Spaniard was among the group of diplomats, who was unhurt, adding it was summoning the Israeli ambassador.

"Faced with the intolerable shooting by the Israeli army during the visit of Spanish, EU and other countries' diplomats, we are summoning the head of Israel's embassy in Madrid," Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares wrote on X.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on X that Israel's ambassador to Rome would be summoned to explain.

Paris will also summon Israel's ambassador, said Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who called the shots "unacceptable" and said the envoy would be called in "to offer an explanation". One French diplomat was part of the visiting delegation, he added.

Ireland's deputy prime minister Simon Harris condemned as "completely unacceptable" the firing of gunshots at the group of diplomats, which included two Irish envoys.

A German foreign ministry spokeswoman said: "The Israeli government must promptly investigate the circumstances."

Ankara called for an immediate investigation and accountability.

"This attack, which endangered the lives of diplomats, is yet another demonstration of Israel's systematic disregard for international law and human rights," the foreign ministry said in a statement, adding a diplomat from its consulate in Jerusalem was part of the group.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Sufian Qudah called on the international community to shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities and to compel Israel to immediately halt its dangerous escalation in the West Bank.

Egypt also condemned "in the strongest terms" the shooting. Both Amman and Cairo's relations with Israel have deteriorated since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.

The Israeli military has killed dozens of Palestinians and destroyed many homes in the West Bank since it launched an operation in January in the city of Jenin and its refugee camp.