Middle East Crisis

West Bank
Gunfire during diplomatic visit to West Bank

The Israeli army, IDF, fired shots in connection with diplomats visiting the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank, AFP reports.

The Palestinian authorities in the West Bank accuse Israel of deliberately shooting at the group. The IDF states that it fired warning shots after the diplomats deviated from their planned route.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has published a video clip on X that allegedly shows the shots, writes TT. The ambassadors of France and Britain, among others, are said to have participated in the delegation in question, along with around 20 other diplomats, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Italy's foreign minister condemns the shooting and says that Israel "must immediately explain itself". 

Great anger against Israel after shooting at diplomats

Several countries are now condemning the events in Jenin in the West Bank, where soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces opened fire in connection with diplomats from several countries visiting the city. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is summoning Israel's ambassador after the incident.

In a statement on X, he writes that a French diplomat participated in the visit and that what happened is "unacceptable".

Among the countries condemning the incident are also Ireland, Germany, Egypt and Turkey, which had diplomats on site in Jenin. Turkey's Foreign Ministry says in a statement that the incident must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.

Gaza war
Netanyahu: We are open to a temporary ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel is ready for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza that also means that hostages held by Hamas are released, Reuters reports. Netanyahu's statement was made at a press conference on Wednesday, his first in five months.

There he also repeated his statements that "all parts of Gaza" will come under Israeli control.

He also says that Israel knows that at least 20 people held hostage by terrorist Hamas are alive.

Political situation in Israel
Court: Netanyahu wrong to fire spy chief

The Supreme Court of Israel believes that it was wrong for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try to fire Ronen Bar, former head of Israel's internal security service Shin Bet, Israeli media reports.

Netanyahu and Bar ended up in a major conflict over who bears responsibility for the lack of preparedness for the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. In March, Netanyahu decided that Ronen Bar should be dismissed. Instead, he himself announced his resignation at the end of April.