Rabat – Israel has admitted that its soldiers fired shots towards a group of foreign diplomats visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, saying they were “warning shots.” The delegation included Morocco’s ambassador to Palestine, Abderrahim Meziane, who was giving a televised statement when the gunfire broke out.
Video footage shared online shows the moment the Moroccan ambassador was giving a statement to the press, when gunshots were heard and members of the delegation were seen ducking and running for cover. The shots reportedly came from Israeli forces stationed on rooftops nearby.
The delegation, which included diplomats from several Arab and European countries, was in Jenin to observe the humanitarian situation and meet with local officials, including the governor. They were also joined by a group of journalists.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the incident. “The occupation forces opened heavy fire from inside the Jenin refugee camp to intimidate the diplomatic delegation that is conducting a field tour around the camp to witness the extent of the suffering endured by the residents of the area,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israeli forces later admitted to firing the shots, saying in a statement that they were “warning shots” and claimed the delegation had moved into an “unauthorized” area that was not approved in advance.
“No injuries or damage were reported,” added the statement. It said a senior commander is reviewing the incident and would share the findings with the diplomats involved. Israeli forces said they “regret the inconvenience caused.”
So far, no country has reported any injuries, but the event has raised strong concerns about the safety of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied Palestinian territories.
Italy said it will summon Israel’s ambassador in Rome to provide “official clarifications” on the incident. Other countries are expected to take similar actions.
Many are saying that if this is how Israel treats diplomats on camera, one can only imagine the level of aggression Palestinians face every day both in Gaza and the West Bank.
