A coordinated diplomatic visit to Jenin on Wednesday led to an unusual incident after the delegation deviated from the approved route, prompting an Israel Defense Forces unit to fire warning shots in the air.
Earlier in the day, a diplomatic delegation entered Jenin as part of a pre-arranged coordination. As part of the procedure, the delegation was provided with a specific route they were instructed to follow due to the area's designation as an active combat zone.
Video: Unusual Incident in Jenin
Despite the prior coordination, the delegation veered off the agreed-upon path and entered a restricted area.
An IDF unit stationed at the location, aware that no diplomatic mission was supposed to be present in its vicinity, suspected the unidentified individuals to be a threat and fired warning shots into the air to drive them away. Shortly thereafter, it became clear that the individuals were in fact part of the diplomatic delegation. No injuries were reported.
Following the incident, the commander of the IDF's Judea and Samaria Division conducted an immediate investigation and called for diplomatic outreach to clarify the circumstances internationally. Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim also initiated contact with all the relevant diplomatic representatives.
