Germany should change Israel policy amid growing violence against Palestinians: Ex-envoy

Germany should change its policy toward Israel amid mounting violence against Palestinians in the occupied territories, former German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert said Wednesday, Anadolu reports.

Israel’s settlement policy amounts to “displacement through psychological and physical violence,” Seibert said in an interview with the weekly Die Zeit newspaper.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel had declared Israel’s security to be part of Germany’s national interest.

Seibert, who served as Merkel’s government spokesperson, said that commitment applies to Israel within its internationally recognised borders.

“But that does not apply to the settlers in the Jordan Valley. Under international law, these are illegal settlements that follow the ideology: ‘This is our land alone; God gave it to us,’” Seibert said.

“The German national interest does not apply to this; it does not support a sense of superiority over another population,” he added.

Seibert called for Berlin to clarify what it means when it says it stands by Israel.

“For decades, we have spoken of Israel as the only democracy in the region, and that is true. But that does not mean that our support extends to every action taken by the Israeli government — for example, not the occupation, which is now entering its 60th year,” he said.

Acts of violence by Israeli occupiers against Palestinians in the West Bank have increased in recent years. The Israeli army has repeatedly been accused of failing to take decisive action against such attacks.

Israeli human rights activists have accused the army of supporting occupiers in the West Bank in their acts of violence against Palestinians.