Germany calls for entry restrictions for forced migrants
Violent Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank are on the increase. The USA is taking action. They want to restrict the entry of Israeli extremists. The European Union should follow this example, according to the Federal Foreign Office.
The German government would like to extend the entry restrictions imposed by the USA on extremist Israeli settlers to the EU. A spokesperson for the Federal Foreign Office said in Berlin that Germany welcomed the attitude of the United States and the measures adopted. "From our point of view, it is important to drive this debate forward at European level as well," the spokesperson added with a view to the meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday. The German government will play an active role there.
There has been an alarming increase in acts of violence, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller in Washington. This includes "an unprecedented level of violence by extremist Israeli settlers" targeting Palestinians and their property and displacing entire communities, as well as violence by Palestinian militants against Israelis. The new restrictions are aimed at people involved in "undermining peace, security or stability in the West Bank", according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry. Direct relatives could also be affected by the restrictions.
The US government has consistently denounced the violence from both sides and called on the Israeli government to do more to bring extremist settlers to justice. However, "insufficient action" had been seen, Miller said.
During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel conquered the West Bank and East Jerusalem, among other territories. Around 600,000 Israelis live there today in more than 200 settlements. The Palestinians claim the territories as part of their own state. In 2016, the UN Security Council described these settlements as a violation of international law and called on Israel to stop building settlements.
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- The Israeli settlement construction in the Palestinian territories, particularly in the West Bank, has been a source of contention for many years.
- Germany, echoing the United States, has criticized the Israeli war-like actions in the West Bank and urged the European Union to impose entry restrictions on individuals involved in settler violence.
- The German Foreign Office called on the EU to follow the US's lead in restricting the entry of Israeli settlers who are responsible for violence against Palestinians, which has led to displacement and undermines peace in the region.
- Some European countries, including Germany, have also expressed concern over Israeli war actions in the Gaza Strip and have called on Israel to respect international law and Palestinian rights, drawing condemnation from Israel and its supporters.
Source: www.ntv.de
