Gaza war: Israeli 'warning' fire at foreign diplomats sparks outcry
Israeli troops fired warning shots during a visit by foreign diplomats to the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the military said, drawing condemnation as pressure mounted on Israel to allow aid into war-battered Gaza.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged Israel to hold to account those responsible for the shooting near Jenin, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups and a frequent target of Israeli raids.
The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of having "deliberately targeted by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation". A European diplomat said the group had gone to the area "to see the destruction" caused by months of Israeli operations.
The Israeli military said "the delegation deviated from the approved route", prompting troops to fire "warning shots" to keep them away from "an area where they were not authorised to be".
In said it "regrets the inconvenience caused" by the shooting, which resulted in no injuries.
The incident came as international pressure intensified over the war in Gaza, where Palestinians were desperate for supplies after a two-month aid blockade was eased.
Rescue teams in the Palestinian territory said overnight Israeli strikes killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.
Israel said 93 trucks had entered Gaza on Tuesday but faced accusations the amount fell far short of what was required. The United Nations said the aid had been held up.
The world body on Monday said it had been cleared to send in aid for the first time since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2 in a move leading to critical shortages of food and medicine.
Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as "worrying and painful" and called for "the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid".
After the warning shots were fired at diplomats, Belgium demanded a "convincing explanation" from Israel, while Spain said it was "in contact with other affected countries to jointly coordinate a response to what happened, which we strongly condemn".
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Israeli ambassador to Rome and said that "threats against diplomats are unacceptable".
A European diplomat present during the visit said he heard "repeated shots" coming from inside Jenin refugee camp, which has been largely emptied of its inhabitants since the Israeli operation began in January.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
UN envoy hails Iraq's commitment to fair and inclusive elections
Iraq is committed to holding credible and inclusive parliamentary elections this year, the UN envoy to the country said, a vote that will test the nation's democratic resilience amid regional instability. Mohammed Al Hassan, head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (Unami), said Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission and Unami 'are making notable progress in preparing for this election' scheduled for November 11. 'Yes, there are challenges, including logistical concerns,' Mr Al Hassan told the UN Security Council. He said the commission was working "towards a free, fair and transparent election, with the participation of all Iraqis without fear and intimidation". He said Unami would 'spare no effort in providing the most professional technical support towards this end, including efforts to promote the widest participation of women, youth and minorities'. The electoral commission has completed the registration of political parties and coalitions that will take part. Voter registration is set to conclude in the coming days, with about three quarters of the electorate having completed biometric registration. Iraq's sixth parliamentary election since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein 's regime is not expected to bring radical change to the structure of the political system that turmoil created. The powerful Shiite cleric and political leader Moqtada Al Sadr insists he will not be taking part. His candidates won 73 of the 329 seats in parliament in the 2021 election but he ordered them to resign after failing to form a majority government with Sunni and Kurdish parties. There are calls to boycott the coming election from some parties. Mr Al Hassan called on political parties in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region to overcome their differences and form a new government after elections to the region's parliament last October. 'After the successful parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq last October, the formation of a regional government is still pending,' he said. 'Needless to say, a spirit of compromise, focusing on shared objectives rather than partisan divisions, is the key to overcome this protracted impasse.' The UN envoy said Iraq is progressing towards further "stability, prosperity and regional integration", more than two decades since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein unleashed an unprecedented wave of violence and social, economic and political instability. It is only in recent years that Iraqis have seen political and security stability, allowing the nation to gradually regain a sense of normality. That has encouraged authorities to launch a series of infrastructure projects and introduce reforms to improve the business environment and public services. "I would like to mention the most notable developments, at the forefront of which is Iraq's drive towards more stability, prosperity and regional integration," Mr Al Hassan told the Security Council. Reaffirming his confidence in the resilience of Iraqis, he added: 'Iraq is a nation of profound history, strength, potential and pride. By working together, Iraqis can continue to make meaningful strides towards stability, prosperity and human rights for all." Speaking about the winding up of Unami by the end of the year, as requested by the Iraqi government, Mr Al Hassan said 'the mission continues to pursue a structured transition according to schedule and in close co-operation with the government of Iraq transition team'. Unami has closed its offices in Mosul and Kirkuk and is reducing staffing levels gradually, while still carrying out its mandate. This is taking place 'in a context of serious financial constraints impacting the United Nations as a whole', Mr Al Hassan said.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
UK puts sanctions on Israeli cabinet members, and Zohran Mamdani's race for New York
The UK has imposed sanctions on two senior members of the Israeli cabinet. Iran says it could strike back in the event of an Israeli attack. A candidate for New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani, could become the first Muslim to hold the office. On today's episode of Trending Middle East:
Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel's shock and awe has proven its power but lost the war
War is good for business and geopolitical posturing. Before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington in early February for his first visit to the US following President Donald Trump's inauguration, he issued a bold statement on the strategic position of Israel. "The decisions we made in the war [since 7 October 2023] have already changed the face of the Middle East," he said. "Our decisions and the courage of our soldiers have redrawn the map. But I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further." How should this redrawn map be assessed? Hamas is bloodied but undefeated in Gaza. The territory lies in ruins, leaving its remaining population with barely any resources to rebuild. Death and starvation stalk everyone. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Hezbollah in Lebanon has suffered military defeats, been infiltrated by Israeli intelligence, and now faces few viable options for projecting power in the near future. Political elites speak of disarming Hezbollah, though whether this is realistic is another question. Morocco, Bahrain and the UAE accounted for 12 percent of Israel's record $14.8bn in arms sales in 2024 - up from just 3 percent the year before In Yemen, the Houthis continue to attack Israel, but pose no existential threat. Meanwhile, since the overthrow of dictator Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Israel has attacked and threatened Syria, while the new government in Damascus is flirting with Israel in a possible bid for "normalisation". The Gulf states remain friendly with Israel, and little has changed in the last 20 months to alter this relationship. According to Israel's newly released arms sales figures for 2024, which reached a record $14.8bn, Morocco, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates accounted for 12 percent of total weapons sales - up from just 3 percent in 2023. It is conceivable that Saudi Arabia will be coerced into signing a deal with Israel in the coming years, in exchange for arms and nuclear technology for the dictatorial kingdom. An Israeli and US-led war against Iran remains a distinct possibility, though a unilateral Israeli strike is highly unlikely. In the West Bank, Israel's annexation plans are surging ahead with little more than weak European statements of concern. Israel's plans for Greater Israel - vastly expanding its territorial reach - are well underway in Syria, Lebanon and beyond. Shifting alliances On paper, Israel appears to be riding high, boasting military victories and vanquished enemies. And yet, many Israelis and pro-war Jews in the diaspora do not feel confident or buoyed by success. Instead, there is an air of defeatism and insecurity, stemming from the belief that the war for western public opinion has been lost - a sentiment reinforced by daily images of Israel's campaign of deliberate mass destruction across the Gaza Strip. What Israel craves and desperately needs is not simply military prowess, but legitimacy in the public domain. And this is sorely lacking across virtually every demographic worldwide. Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of the Israel-Palestine war It is why Israel is spending at least $150m this year alone on "public diplomacy". Get ready for an army of influencers, wined and dined in Tel Aviv's restaurants and bars, to sell the virtues of Israeli democracy. Even pro-Israel journalists are beginning to question how this money is being spent, wishing Israeli PR were more responsive and effective. Gaza flotilla: The Madleen shows us the world as it could be Read More » Today, Israeli Jews proudly back ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza in astoundingly high numbers. This reflects a Jewish supremacist mindset that is being fed a daily diet of extremist rhetoric in mainstream media. There is arguably no other western country with such a high proportion of racist, genocidal mania permeating public discourse. According to a recent poll of western European populations, Israel is viewed unfavourably in Germany, Denmark, France, Italy and Spain. Very few in these countries support Israeli actions. Only between 13 and 21 percent hold a positive view of Israel, compared to 63-70 percent who do not. The US-backed Pew Research Centre also released a global survey asking people in 24 countries about their views on Israel and Palestine. In 20 of the 24 nations, at least half of adults expressed a negative opinion of the Jewish state. A deeper reckoning Beyond Israel's image problems lies a deeper question: can it ever expect full acceptance in the Middle East? Apart from kings, monarchs and elites from Dubai to Riyadh and Manama to Rabat, Israel's vicious and genocidal actions since 7 October 2023 have rendered "normalisation" impossible with a state intent on building a Jewish theocracy that subjugates millions of Arabs indefinitely. While it is true that most states in the region are undemocratic, with gross human rights abuses a daily reality, Israel has long claimed to be different - "the only democracy in the Middle East". But Israel's entire political system, built with massive western support and grounded in an unsustainable racial hierarchy, precludes it from ever being fully and formally integrated into the region. The American journalist Murtaza Hussain, writing for the US outlet Drop Site News, recently published a perceptive essay on this very subject. He argues that Israeli actions have been so vile and historically grave - comparable to other modern holocausts - that they cannot be forgotten or excused, especially as they are publicly carried out with the explicit goal of ethnically cleansing Palestine: "This genocide has been a political and cultural turning point beyond which we cannot continue as before. I express that with resignation rather than satisfaction, as it means that many generations of suffering are ahead on all sides. Ultimately, the goal of Israel's opponents must not be to replicate its crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, nor to indulge in nihilistic hatred for its own sake. People in the region and beyond should work to build connections with those Israelis who are committed opponents of their regime, and who are ready to cooperate in the generational task of building a new political architecture." The issue is not just Netanyahu and his government. All his likely successors hold similarly hardline views on Palestinian rights and self-determination. The monumental task ahead lies in crafting an alternative to today's toxic Jewish theocracy. But this rebuilding must also take place in the West. Far too many Jews, conservatives and evangelical Christians continue to cling to the fantasy of eradicating, silencing or expelling Arabs from their land entirely. Pushing back against this fascism is one of the most urgent generational tasks of our time. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
