Berlin slams violence by Israeli settlers in West Bank

BERLIN (AA): Germany has condemned the escalating settler violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

“Clearly the federal government naturally condemns any form of violence,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Christian Wagner told a press briefing in Berlin.

Israeli settlers’ actions in Palestinian communities over the weekend in which hundreds of Palestinians were injured as well as the images of burning homes and cars are “beyond disturbing, and there is nothing to justify these attacks,” he added.

Wagner urged the Israeli government to crack down on the settler violence.

“Of course, we expect the Israeli authorities to take resolute action against the … perpetrators,” he said.

“It is clear that, under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an explicit duty to maintain public security and order in the occupied territories,” Wagner added.

Settlement expansion has long been a thorny issue in German-Israel relations, as Berlin sees it as a major obstacle to a potential two-state solution.

The UN considers Israeli settlement activity illegal as it undermines the internationally agreed two-state solution framework.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated deadly Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

Nearly 180 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of this year, according to the Health Ministry.

Earlier this week, Israeli minister Ben-Gvir gave out an open call to Israeli settlers to “expand settler outposts.”