Germany criticizes Israel’s transfer of control of the West Bank to settlers

BERLIN:

Germany on Monday criticized the Israeli military’s plans to transfer control of the occupied West Bank to pro-settler groups.

“The Israeli army bears responsibility for the occupation and that is incompatible with handing over responsibility to a civilian administration and that is why it is a report that we have watched with great concern. We reject the annexation of the West Bank,” German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told media representatives in Berlin.

“Any step towards the annexation of the West Bank by Israel is a step in the wrong direction. We reject it,” he added.

The Israeli military’s Civil Command has reportedly handed more control over the occupied West Bank to the Settlements Administration, headed by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who himself lives in an illegal settlement.

Since joining the government, Smotrich has openly pushed for more Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank – illegal under international law – as steps towards annexation.

Also read: Attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank: UN rights chief expresses concern

In other related news, the German government condemned the action of Israeli army forces who tied an injured Palestinian to the hood of a military jeep during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday.

The video of an injured person on the hood of a military vehicle was “difficult,” Fisher said.

He pointed out that this behavior also represents a violation of his rules for the Israeli military.

The (German) federal government now expects “quick clarifications, quick results and corresponding consequences for those responsible,” Fischer added.

A video circulating on social media shows a Palestinian resident of Jenin, Mujahed Azmi, in the jeep driving past two ambulances.

The Israeli military claimed in a statement that Israeli forces fired and exchanged fire, injuring a suspect and arresting him.