Overview
- On Wednesday former ambassador Steffen Seibert said Germany’s pledge that Israel’s security is a national duty, or Staatsräson, applies only to Israel inside its internationally recognized 1967 borders and not to occupied West Bank settlements.
- Seibert said many settlements—especially in the Jordan Valley—are illegal under international law and described settler campaigns as a form of expulsion using psychological pressure and real violence.
- He rejected broad boycotts and limits on scientific exchange but urged that Germany explore targeted measures that would make clear Berlin’s opposition to settlement expansion.
- Reporting by multiple outlets and human-rights groups documents a rise in settler violence, including an alleged days-long siege of a house in Qusra, and one account says more than 100 new settlements have appeared since late 2022.
- Seibert’s statements, coming days after his return from Israel, have intensified debate in Germany about how to balance historic responsibility for Israeli security with pressure on policies that harm Palestinians and could affect bilateral diplomacy and aid decisions.