{"id":49289,"date":"2025-05-21T17:15:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/taoiseach-horrified-after-shots-fired-near-irish-diplomats\/21\/05\/2025\/"},"modified":"2025-05-21T17:15:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:15:24","slug":"taoiseach-horrified-after-shots-fired-near-irish-diplomats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/taoiseach-horrified-after-shots-fired-near-irish-diplomats\/21\/05\/2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Taoiseach ‘horrified’ after shots fired near Irish diplomats"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Miche\u00e1l Martin has said he is “shocked and horrified” after Israeli troops fired warning shots in the vicinity of a diplomatic delegation on a visit to the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n

The delegation included two Irish diplomats based in Ramallah, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said.<\/p>\n

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the group had “deviated from the approved route”, warning shots were fired into the air “to distance them away” and it “regrets the inconvenience caused”.<\/p>\n

Many countries, some of which had diplomats on the visit, have condemned Israel’s actions<\/a> – including Spain, Egypt, France, Turkey and Italy.<\/p>\n

No injuries were reported in the incident, which happened in the city of Jenin, where Israel has been fighting armed Palestinian groups for years.<\/p>\n

The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, has accused the Israeli security forces of deliberately targeting the delegation in a “heinous crime”.<\/p>\n

Some nations have said they will summon Israeli ambassadors to account for the incident, calling for investigations and explanations from Israel.<\/p>\n

The IDF added it would speak to representatives of the nations involved to update them on the result of an internal investigation into the incident.<\/p>\n

‘Completely unacceptable’<\/h2>\n

In a statement, the taoiseach said he “unreservedly condemns this aggressive, intimidatory and violent act”.<\/p>\n

“This is not and must never be a normal way to behave,” he said.<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

Martin added diplomats play an “important and vital role” and they should never fear “becoming targets”.<\/p>\n

The t\u00e1naiste (deputy PM) and foreign affairs minister said he was “shocked and appalled” by the news.<\/p>\n

“This is completely unacceptable and I condemn it in the strongest terms,” Harris added.<\/p>\n

Harris has been in touch directly with Feilim McLaughlin, the Representative of Ireland to the Palestinian National Authority, to convey his full support, Irish broadcaster RT\u00c9 has reported.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs has delivered a d\u00e9marche – a protest registered through diplomatic channels – to convey the t\u00e1naiste’s condemnation and concerns to Dana Erlich, Israel’s non-resident ambassador to Ireland.<\/p>\n

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