Germany calls on Israel to protect Palestinians from settler violence

Germany on Monday condemned Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and urged the Israeli government to take measures to protect Palestinians from violent attacks.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said Germany backs Israel's right to self-defense against the Palestinian group Hamas, but the Tel Aviv government should also counter extremist settler violence.

"We clearly condemn the attacks and violence by the settlers against the Palestinians communities," Fischer said, adding that these attacks in the occupied territories claimed many lives in recent weeks.

"We are calling on Israel to protect the Palestinians from the acts of the extremist settlers and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice," he stressed.

Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have spiked since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Settlers have since then launched 280 attacks against Palestinian civilians, killing at least seven people so far, according to the Palestinian sources.

The methods employed by extremist settlers in these attacks varied from firing live ammunition to beatings, stoning vehicles, and attacking homes, families, and farmers.