Overview
- Former vice‑chancellor Robert Habeck publicly criticised the Israeli government’s conduct in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, saying the policies must be named as wrong.
- He accused West Bank settlers of using "brutal violence" to drive Palestinians from their land and called those actions "basically terrorism."
- Habeck said Israel’s harsh military response after the October 7, 2023 attack has not strengthened security and has generated anger and resistance in Gaza that could aid future radicalisation.
- Speaking on a live Die Zeit podcast after a recent guest professorship at Hebrew University, Habeck said Germany has limited influence in the region, praised Ambassador Steffen Seibert, and ruled out a return to frontline politics.
- The comments underline a wider dilemma for European diplomacy because they link humanitarian and security risks to stalled reconstruction in Gaza and rising tensions in the West Bank, which could deepen regional instability and prolong civilian suffering.