Israeli troops shoot at diplomatic vehicles

Israeli troops shot at a convoy of diplomatic vehicles at a military roadblock in the Gaza Strip yesterday, twice hitting the windscreen of one of the cars but causing no injuries, diplomatic sources said.

The diplomats were badly shaken by the incident as the small convoy was stopped leaving the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, close to the main Erez crossing with Israel, the sources said.

They said the convoy included representatives of Switzerland, Britain, Greece, Sweden, and Austria.

A Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesman said its representative to the Palestinian Authority and a colleague had come under Israeli fire at a Gaza roadblock but was unhurt.

It said his armoured vehicle was clearly marked as a diplomatic car and it was unclear why it was shot at. He was held up for about an hour.

The Israeli Army declined to comment but military sources said some vehicles tried to bypass a roadblock and shots were fired into the air to deter them.