The incident led Italy to summon the Israeli ambassador to Rome.
“A soldier spotted a vehicle heading to the community of Sde Ephraim along a route closed to civilian traffic and designated as a closed military zone,” the IDF said.
“The soldier classified the vehicle as suspicious.
“Because the diplomatic license plate was not immediately identified, the soldier approached the vehicle to stop it, pointing his weapon without opening fire, and ordered the passengers to exit the vehicle and identify themselves.
“As soon as the passengers did so, the soldier immediately released them.”
The Italian foreign ministry said the Israeli ambassador had been summoned “to seek clarification” and to confirm Rome’s “strong protest” after the two Carabinieri police officers working at the Consulate General in Jerusalem were held at gunpoint.
It said the officers “were threatened by an armed man in civilian clothes, presumably an Israeli settler, who pointed a rifle at them”.
ANSA
