MOSCOW 

Russia confirmed Tuesday that a group of its diplomats were attacked by Israeli settlers in occupied Palestinian territories.

The Foreign Ministry said a service vehicle from its office to the Palestinian National Administration with diplomatic license plates, carrying employees accredited by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, was attacked July 30 by a group of settlers in the area near the illegal Israeli settlement of Giv'at Asaf, near Jerusalem.

"The car sustained mechanical damage. This attack was accompanied by verbal threats against Russian diplomats," it said.

The ministry stressed it was “particularly disturbing and unacceptable" that it occurred under the acquiescence of Israeli military personnel present on site who "did not even attempt to prevent the aggressive actions of the assailants."

"We consider this incident as a gross violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, which, among other things, obliges the receiving state to ensure respect for the principle of inviolability of foreign missions' property and treat foreign diplomats with due respect, taking all appropriate measures to prevent any attacks on their person, freedom, or dignity," it said.

The ministry highlighted that a corresponding protest has been submitted to Israeli authorities by the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv.

"We hope that the Israeli side will draw appropriate conclusions from this situation," it said.