13/02/2026
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To:
Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Armin Laschet
German Action Against Human Rights Violations and Annexation in the West Bank
Since the announcement of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza in October 2025, international attention has largely shifted away from the region. However, the Israeli government has continued to severely violate the ceasefire and its human rights obligations, in Gaza and in the occupied West Bank. We call upon Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, to fulfill its own obligations under international law and its commitment to human rights by acting decisively against these ongoing atrocities.
In Gaza, military force continues to be used daily against areas not under Israeli control. We witness recurring bombing campaigns affecting Palestinian civilians and the systematic deprivation of essential humanitarian aid. Israel is dragging its feet toward the second stage of the ceasefire, which will include the removal of Israeli forces from the entire Strip.
At the same time, the situation in the West Bank is deteriorating rapidly. In recent months, there has been a surge in settler violence against Palestinians, particularly targeting herding communities in Area C. These attacks – which include the daily harassment of farmers, targeting of humanitarian activists - Israelis and internationals - and organized raids on Palestinian villages – often occur with the tacit agreement or active assistance of the Israeli military. This has led to the forced displacement of entire communities. According to the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, more than 44 communities have been displaced since October 2023.
Furthermore, the Israeli government and military – under the direction of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Major General Avi Blut – are executing a process of de facto annexation of the occupied territories. This involves a fundamental overhaul of the legal structures governing the West Bank, transferring authority to civilian bureaucrats. This process has accelerated the permitting of new settlements. Meanwhile, Israel is financially suffocating the Palestinian Authority. Minister Smotrich has explicitly stated that the intent of both policies is to prevent the possibility of a future Palestinian state.
Germany holds a unique position of influence in the West Bank as a primary financial supporter of both the Palestinian Authority and local civil society. While the U.S. has turned a blind eye to the escalation of extremist violence and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, the many military raids on cities and villages in the region must not enjoy tacit international approval. We urge Germany to shift its policy and pressure Israel to cease the annexation and human rights violations. This requirement is specifically reinforced by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in July 2024, which stated clearly:
“All States must co-operate with the United Nations to put into effect modalities required to ensure an end to Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the full realization of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. All are under obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Obligation to distinguish in dealings with Israel between the territory of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”*
In light of the above, we, Israelis living in Germany, alongside local supporters, demand that the German government act with the following steps regarding the Occupied West Bank:
- Promote sanctions on the EU level against settlers and their supporting entities involved in violations of human rights and international law
- Publicly recognize forcible transfer as a grave breach of international law
- Promote a ban on the import of products from settlements in the occupied West Bank at the German and EU levels
- Expand support for Palestinian civil society
We believe that these measures represent a bare minimum of actions against constant violations of international law by an extremist government.
Respectfully,
Israelis für Frieden
*Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, p. 6 (https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/186/186-20240719-adv-01-00-en.pdf)