Germany criticizes Israel's move to tighten control in West Bank

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Monday criticized Israel for its recent approval of measures aimed at strengthening control in the occupied West Bank.

“This contravenes Israel’s obligations under international law and represents a further obstacle on the path to a two-state solution,” a German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told Anadolu.

She noted that Israel is considered the “occupying power” in the West Bank under international law, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its civilian population into occupied territory.

“The transfer of certain administrative activities to Israeli civil authorities also contradicts the temporary nature of an occupation,” the spokeswoman added.

“The German government’s position is clear, namely that the West Bank is an integral part of a future Palestinian state. On this basis, the German government continues to advocate a negotiated two-state solution.”

Israel’s Security Cabinet on Sunday approved measures aimed at altering the legal and civil framework in the occupied West Bank to strengthen Israeli control.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN said the decisions include repealing a law that barred the sale of land in the West Bank to Israeli private individuals, unsealing land ownership records, and shifting authority for building permits in a settlement bloc near Hebron from a Palestinian municipality to Israel’s civil administration.