Videos of the incident circulating online show a delegation of dozens of foreign diplomats as well as Palestinian and United Nations officials standing on a road blocked off by a large yellow gate in the West Bank city of Jenin Wednesday morning.
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The video shows IDF soldiers suddenly firing their weapons in the vicinity of the group, which quickly dispersed back towards diplomatic and armoured vehicles parked around the corner.
The tour was organized by the Palestinian Authority and was authorized by Israel, according to foreign media reports. There were four Canadian representatives among the delegation, including the head of mission in Ramallah, Graham Dattels. The West Bank is disputed territory governed by the Palestinian Authority but Israel’s troop continue to operate there.
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In a statement, the IDF said it “regrets the inconvenience caused” by the incident and said it launched an inquiry after realizing that its soldiers had fired towards a diplomatic delegation.
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“According to an initial inquiry, the delegation deviated from the approved route and entered an area where they were not authorized to be. IDF soldiers operating in the area fired warning shots to distance them away. No injuries or damages were reported,” the IDF wrote on social media.
