Condemnation as IDF fires warning shots at delegation including Irish diplomats

The IDF 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'

This screenshot from AFPTV footage shows members of a diplomatic delegation from the European Union reacting after shots were fired as they gathered in the eastern entrance of Jenin camp during a visit to the city of Jenin. Picture: MOHAMMAD ATEEQ/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images

Two Irish diplomats were among the European delegation that shots were fired in the vicinity of by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the Government said.

A group of regional, European and Western diplomats were visiting the Jenin refugee camp to observe the humanitarian situation when they heard gunshots, prompting condemnation from both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

Micheál Martin said that the attack was "not and must never be a normal way to behave."

He said: "I am deeply shocked and horrified that the Israeli Defence Forces today opened fire on a group of diplomats visiting the town of Jenin. Thankfully, nobody was killed or injured.

"I unreservedly condemn this aggressive, intimidatory and violent act. This is not and must never be a normal way to behave.

We, and the international community, will be demanding answers from Israel on exactly how this came to happen and will seek assurances that this will never happen again.

"Diplomats play a very important and vital role representing countries. They should be enabled to go about their work in an unimpeded manner and should never fear becoming targets."

Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the move was "completely unacceptable" and he condemned "it in the strongest terms". 

Making reference to the recent targeting of Irish and other UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon with a laser system used on weapon scopes, Mr Harris said there was no doubt in his mind that this was “the latest in a trend of intimidatory behaviour by the Israeli Defence Forces”.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Thursday, Mr Harris said a number of diplomats, including Ireland’s Head of Mission to Palestine and his deputy, were visiting the Jenin area in the Israeli occupied West Bank as part of their representative work in the area.

Mr Harris said the IDF would have been notified of this “routine” visit in advance, as is normal practice.

“The governor of Jenin was apparently addressing the diplomats and updating them on the situation in relation to refugees, and when that address came to an end, and the group of diplomats was about to disperse, my understanding from talking to our Head of Mission was that a number of members of the Israeli Defence Forces stepped forward and fired shots and above their head.

“Whether these are called ‘warning shots’ or whatever nice words that at the Israeli Defence Forces wish to try and put on it, they were still shots and you do not fire shots at diplomats and it's a clear breach of law, it's a clear breach of the obligation that Israel has to protect diplomats.

“I do think some of the whataboutery that we've heard in recent hours, it doesn't really show the IDF understanding the scale and the gravity of what they did towards diplomats from a number of countries yesterday, including from Ireland.”

The incident led to a demand for an investigation by the Vice-President of the European Commission.

"I've heard about the incident in Jenin today where Israel Defence Forces shot warning shots but still shots at a group of diplomats approaching the refugee camp within a visit organised by the Palestinian Authority," Kaja Kallas said.

"Any threats on diplomats' lives are unacceptable. So as Israel is also a signatory to the Vienna Convention, I mean the obligation to guarantee the security of all foreign diplomats, I think this is important."

The israelis shoot at an int’l delegation visiting Jenin: the targeted group includes EU envoys; but.. but.. aren’t they your allies @EU_Commission pic.twitter.com/eTP3FoCUzz

— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) May 21, 2025

Mr Harris’s Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, said he has instructed officials to summon the Israeli ambassador to Rome to get clarification on what happened in Jenin.

The Spanish Foreign Ministry said a Spaniard was among the group of diplomats, who was unhurt. "We are in contact with other affected countries to jointly coordinate a response to what happened, which we strongly condemn," it said in a statement.

The IDF said it "regrets the inconvenience caused" and that “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”.

Footage on Israeli television showed individuals running to vehicles with diplomatic license plates as shots were heard in the distance.

The Palestinian Authority's Foreign Ministry said "the delegation was undertaking an official mission to observe and assess the humanitarian situation and document the ongoing violations perpetrated by" Israel. The ministry called the Israeli military's actions a violation of international law.

Israel launched a large-scale military operation centred on Jenin shortly after reaching a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip in January. Troops have destroyed homes and infrastructure, and tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes across the northern West Bank.

The Israeli military has killed dozens of Palestinians and destroyed many homes in the West Bank since it launched an operation in January in the city of Jenin to root out militants.

• additional reporting by Reuters