Germany has defended criticism of Israel by its leader in recent days, but has stopped short of echoing comments by its Chancellor that the Jewish state may be guilty of historic war crimes.
The issue of West Bank ‘settler’ violence, as it’s now called, is coming straight to the fore in international relations in a way many analysts haven’t predicted.
“Germany stands by Israel in every vector, but it cannot support ongoing settler violence.”
German State/Release.
It’s believed protest has surged the matter to the top of the agenda but experts in the region see no reason for the timing of outbursts of rhetoric, or controversy.
Israel has repeatedly defended its position by claiming its security operations in the West Bank are part of a larger effort to ‘tame’ rural crime groups and to monitor terrorist activity far and wide.