Baerbock: Israel must condemn settler violence in the West Bank
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to condemn violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank and to take action against it. "The Israeli Prime Minister must condemn this settler violence, it must be prosecuted, this is also in the interest of Israel's security," said Baerbock in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
"With regard to security in the West Bank, Israel is partly responsible for ensuring that the situation there does not escalate further," Baerbock continued. In the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel, there have been repeated violent attacks by extremist Jewish settlers on Palestinians since the attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, on October 7.
The German Foreign Minister also called for protection for the people in the Gaza Strip from the fighting there. "The people in Gaza must be protected, the fight is directed against a terrorist organization, Hamas, which wants to destroy Israel, and not against the civilian population in Gaza, the innocent people, women and children, the innocent Palestinians."
With regard to calls for a ceasefire, Baerbock said: "Hamas makes it clear every day that they want to wipe Israel off the map. In other words, they want to wipe Israel out and in a situation like this, Israel must protect its population," she said, acknowledging Israel's right to self-defense.
Baerbock also reiterated that Israel's security is a matter of German state policy. In her view, however, this does not contradict her commitment to international humanitarian law and the universality of human rights. "That's why I make it so clear that every life is equally valuable, that these terrible images of Palestinian children make me lose sleep just as much as when I think about how Israeli children have been abducted," said Baerbock.
- The escalation of settler violence in the West Bank has brought the situation to a point where it requires close attention from the international community, including Israel's neighbors to the east, such as Germany.
- Despite the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, it's crucial for Israel to maintain a distance from close associations with settler violence in the West Bank to uphold its international image and ensure peace negotiations remain viable.
- Annalena Baerbock's call on Israel to condemn settler violence in the West Bank and take appropriate measures to halt it is a reminder of the importance of upholding international human rights and ensuring security for all communities in the region.
Source: www.ntv.de
