Middle East: Sanctions against radical settlers: Berlin follows the USA

For more than two months all eyes have been on the Gaza war. But the occupied West Bank also became the scene of bloody clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.

Reports of violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians are increasing. In response, the US government issued entry restrictions aimed, among other things, at extremist Israeli settlers. France and Germany are in favor of extending the punitive measures imposed by the USA to the European Union.

“Unprecedented level of violence”

Since conquering the West Bank in the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel has systematically expanded its disputed settlements there. The number of settlers in the area that lies between Israel’s heartland and Jordan has now risen to around half a million. Including East Jerusalem there are even 700,000. The settlers live among around three million Palestinians. The United Nations has classified these settlements as a major obstacle to a peace settlement because they hardly leave any contiguous territory for the Palestinians in a possible temporary state solution.

The settlements have been a thorn in the side of US President Joe Biden for decades. The USA is now justifying its punitive measures with an “alarming increase in acts of violence” in the West Bank. According to the US State Department, this includes “unprecedented levels of violence by extremist Israeli settlers.” They targeted Palestinians and their property and drove out entire communities. The entry restrictions are also aimed at Palestinian extremists who commit violent acts against Israelis. On both sides, close family members can also be affected.

Since the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians on October 7th and subsequent Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, the tense situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has become even worse. Since then, 264 Palestinians have been killed in confrontations with Israeli soldiers, but also attacks by Israeli settlers, according to the Ministry of Health. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 460 Palestinians have died in Israeli military operations, confrontations or their own attacks in the West Bank.

Support for settlers in the government

According to media reports, violent attacks by settlers who prevented Palestinians from harvesting olives have been increasing since the beginning of October. In addition, hundreds of members of Palestinian pastoral communities were displaced. The Ministry of Health recorded nine deaths. The Israeli security authorities are accused of failing to protect Palestinians against attacks. There is hardly any prosecution even in the case of deaths. Settler representatives emphasize that the vast majority are peaceful and obey the law.

Since October 7th, even more settlers have armed themselves and many of the soldiers are settlers themselves. They also have support from right-wing extremist ministers in the Israeli government who advocate an annexation of the West Bank by Israel.

The US State Department spokesman criticized Israel for its handling of the rise in settler violence. “We have not seen a sufficient level of action” so far, said Matthew Miller. That is one reason why the US government is now reacting. “Both Israelis and Palestinians deserve a perspective of hope that is free from violence, intimidation and threats,” he continued. Previously, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to take action and hold violent settlers accountable.

Biden is under pressure over the Gaza war

US President Biden is also under domestic political pressure after the start of the Gaza war. Criticism of its partner Israel has recently often only been hinted at and, with Biden, was more likely to be seen between the lines. If the US government has publicly expressed its disapproval in recent weeks, it has been primarily with regard to extremist settlers. Back in October, Biden made it clear that settler violence against Palestinians only added “oil to the fire.”

France is following suit

Paris joins Washington and is also talking about entry bans against extremist settlers, but also the freezing of assets. According to the Foreign Ministry, the government in Paris is considering steps at national and European levels.

As a country with the highest number of Jewish residents and at the same time the most Muslims in Europe, France is faced with a balancing act. On the one hand, President Emmanuel Macron and the government unequivocally sided with the Jewish population in the face of a wave of anti-Semitism in the country. On the other hand, there are many residents with roots in Muslim countries who are particularly disturbed by the fate of the Palestinians. They are likely to see the call for sanctions against settlers as a sign that Paris has the interests of the Palestinians in the conflict in mind.

Germany fears conflagration in the region

Similar voices can be heard from Berlin. Germany welcomes the stance of the United States and the measures adopted, said a spokesman for the Foreign Office. “In our view, it is important to advance this debate at the European level as well,” added the spokesman, referring to a meeting of EU foreign ministers. The federal government will be actively involved there. “We continue to call on Israel to protect Palestinians from the activities of extremist settlers,” he said.

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock fears that an escalation of violence in the West Bank could increase the risk of a conflagration in the region – even though Israel’s neighboring countries in the region actually did not want this. In the previous government, then-Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) had already more or less openly criticized the Netanyahu government for reducing the possibilities for a two-state solution by continuing to expand settlements in the area. Baerbock should see it similarly.