Portugal, France and Italy summoned the Israeli ambassadors to their countries to clarify the incident which occurred in Jenin on Wednesday, while several other countries denounced the attack.
The Foreign Ministry of Portugal said that its ambassador was part of the delegation and assured it would take “appropriate diplomatic measures” in response to the attack.
In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara condemned the attack and called for an immediate investigation and accountability for those responsible.
The Ministry added that the army “endangered the lives of diplomats, is further evidence of Israel’s systematic disregard for international law and human rights,” adding that “Targeting diplomats poses a serious threat not only to the safety of individuals, but also to the mutual respect and trust that form the foundation of relations between states.”
The German Foreign Ministry condemned the army’s attack against the diplomatic delegation, which included a German diplomat and a driver from the representative office in Ramallah.
In a statement, the German Foreign Ministry said “The delegation is officially registered and is conducting diplomatic activities in coordination with both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli army,” adding that “The Israeli government must immediately clarify the circumstances of the incident and respect the sanctity of diplomats.”
In a post on the X platform, the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, described the incident as “unacceptable” and said that the ambassador would be asked to provide an explanation.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates confirmed that Israeli forces fired live bullets at the diplomatic delegation.
The Ministry added that the visit was announced 10 days ago, and was attended by ambassadors, consuls and representatives of 32 countries and international organizations, in of convoy of cars bearing distinctive diplomatic license plates.
In a statement, the speaker of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh denounced the army’s attack against the diplomatic delegation and said that targeting diplomats constitutes a terrorist act and a violation of international law.
He added that the attack on foreign diplomats uncovers the true nature of the occupation army, which does not hesitate to commit crimes against unarmed civilians.
The Arab Republic of Egypt expressed its absolute rejection of the army’s attack against foreign diplomats, which included the Egyptian ambassador to Palestine, and called on the “the Israeli side to provide the necessary clarifications regarding the circumstances of this incident.”
In a statement, the official spokesperson for the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Sufyan Al-Qudah said that the ministry considered the attack a clear violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and a crime that contravenes all diplomatic norms, and expressed the Kingdom’s absolute rejection and condemnation of the targeting of diplomats in Jenin.
The Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani denounced the attack, calling on Israel to “immediately clarify what happened,” calling “threats against diplomats unacceptable.”
He added that he “ordered the summoning of the Israeli ambassador in Rome to obtain official clarifications regarding what happened in Jenin.”
According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Spanish Foreign Ministry stated that “There was a Spaniard among the group of diplomats, and he is safe. We are in contact with the other affected countries to coordinate a joint response to what happened, which we strongly condemn.”
The Belgian Foreign Minister, Maxime Prévost said he was shocked at the Israeli forces’ attack in Jenin, and pointed out that the delegation was in a convoy of 20 “clearly identified” vehicles.
In a post on the X platform, Prévost demanded that “Israel provide a convincing explanation,” and added that the Belgian diplomat was not injured.
The European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas called on the Israeli authorities to investigate the firing of live ammunition towards foreign diplomats, and to hold those responsible for the attack accountable.
Kallas added that “any threat to the lives of diplomats is unacceptable. Therefore, as Israel is a party to the Vienna Convention, it has the right, and indeed the duty, to ensure the security of all foreign diplomats.”
