RIYADH: Saudi Arabia strongly condemned an incident on Wednesday in which Israeli soldiers opened fire near a diplomatic delegation visiting the occupied West Bank.
The Kingdom expressed its firm rejection of the act and called on the international community to take urgent action.
The event took place near the city of Jenin, where diplomats from Europe, Turkiye, and Egypt were on an official visit.
As they moved through the area, Israeli soldiers fired shots in their direction, forcing the group to take cover.
Fortunately, no one was injured. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated that the diplomats were “deliberately targeted, by live fire,” despite being accredited and on an official visit.
In response, Saudi Arabia called on the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China to intervene immediately to stop what it described as ongoing Israeli violations.
The Kingdom urged that protections be ensured for civilians, diplomatic missions, and humanitarian organizations operating in Palestinian territories.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized that Israel must be held accountable under international law for its repeated offenses during the occupation.
Several European countries reacted sharply to the incident, with France, Italy, and Sweden summoning Israeli ambassadors to explain the dangerous situation.
Israel’s military claimed the diplomatic convoy had strayed from an approved route and that soldiers fired warning shots to stop them from entering a restricted area. However, the explanation did little to calm international anger.
This incident occurred during a time of heightened tension in the West Bank, as Israel has been conducting ongoing military operations in Jenin and nearby areas since January.
The episode has added to growing concerns about the safety of diplomatic and humanitarian personnel in the region and raised further international pressure on Israel regarding its actions in the occupied territories.
