Israel’s Military Defends Firing Near Diplomats (Video)

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, Worthy News

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The Israeli military has defended its decision to fire warning shots near a large delegation of European and Arab diplomats on an official visit near the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank as they allegedly “deviated” from an agreed route.

Wednesday’s statement followed an outcry over the incident in the West Bank, the Palestinian enclave also known by its Biblical name, Judaea and Samaria.

The shooting happened while diplomats from more than 20 countries, including Britain, France, Canada, and others, “were on an official mission to see the humanitarian situation around the besieged camp,” said the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It called the incident a “deliberate and unlawful act.” Video showed Israeli soldiers firing near the delegation as it backed away from a gate blocking the road. At least seven shots could be heard while a member of the delegation cautioned the group, “Be close to the wall, be close to the wall,” as they walked away from the scene.

“The ministry holds the Israeli occupying government fully and directly

responsible for this criminal assault and affirms that such acts will not pass without accountability,” the Palestinian

Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that the diplomatic visit “was coordinated” but added that the delegation was given “an approved route” due to their presence in an active combat area.

However, during the entry, “and despite prior coordination of the route,” the delegation “deviated from the route” and reached an area where they were not allowed to be, the IDF stressed.

IDF forces then fired “into the air” after soldiers realized that the delegation had “deviated from their path.”

The military claimed this was to push them away from the area and added, “There was no damage or casualties.”

In a statement, the IDF noted that it “regrets the inconvenience caused” but added on Army Radio that it would apologize to delegation members, including diplomats from Spain and Canada.

In Brussels, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the incident was unacceptable. “Any threats on diplomats’ lives are unacceptable,” Kallas told reporters.

Spain “strongly” condemned the shooting and said it would coordinate a response with other Luger countries. The IDF said it had opened an investigation into the event.

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