Rome summons Israeli ambassador after Italian police held at gunpoint in West Bank
Italy says 2 carabinieri officers in diplomatic vehicle forced to kneel, subjected to interrogation by apparent settler while surveying area near Ramallah ahead of EU visit
ROME, Italy — Italy on Monday summoned Israel’s ambassador to protest, after two Italian policemen were threatened at gunpoint by an Israeli during a field visit in the West Bank, the Italian foreign ministry said.
The two military policemen were stopped on Sunday by an armed Israeli while they were carrying out a site inspection ahead of a planned visit by European Union ambassadors to a village near Ramallah.
According to a government source, the Israeli, believed to have been a settler, forced the two men to kneel at gunpoint and subjected them to an improvised interrogation.
The soldiers were traveling in a vehicle with diplomatic license plates and carrying diplomatic passports.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wanted Israeli Ambassador Jonathan Peled to receive a “strong protest” over the incident, the Italian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Italy’s embassy to Israel has already submitted a formal protest to the Israeli government, contacting the foreign ministry, the Israeli military, the police, and the Shin Bet domestic security agency.
There was no immediate response from Israeli authorities.
The two policemen returned unharmed to Italy’s consulate general in Jerusalem following the incident.