German Ambassador to Israel Criticizes Israeli Annexation Plans for the West Bank
German Ambassador Steffen Seibert's response aligns with the European Union’s longstanding stance against Israeli settlement expansion and annexation.
Germany's ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, condemned recent statements by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich regarding plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Seibert issued his criticism on the social media platform X, calling Smotrich’s statements “an open call for annexation.” He further stated that preparations toward this goal would constitute “a clear violation of international law,” according to Der Spiegel. Seibert warned that such actions could destabilize the broader region.
Smotrich's Plan for "Sovereignty" in the West Bank
Smotrich, a prominent figure in Israel’s far-right coalition, declared that 2025 would be “the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria,” referencing the West Bank with its Biblical terminology. According to The Jerusalem Post, Smotrich has directed the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Settlement Division and the Civil Administration to prepare infrastructure necessary for annexation, including additional land allocation for Israeli settlers.
Smotrich further indicated that the potential return of former U.S. President Donald Trump to office could serve as a “significant opportunity” for advancing Israel’s territorial objectives. Smotrich noted that during Trump’s previous administration, the U.S. recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights and moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem—moves that Smotrich cited as supportive of Israel’s territorial claims.
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Background and International Response
The West Bank, under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Six-Day War, is home to approximately 490,000 Israeli settlers living in communities that the United Nations has classified as illegal under international law. Smotrich’s latest statements reflect a broader ambition to resume a 2020 plan to annex around 30% of the West Bank—a plan that was paused amid normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords. Der Spiegel noted that these agreements were widely seen as contingent upon Israel's suspension of its annexation plans.
Ambassador Seibert's response aligns with the European Union’s longstanding stance against Israeli settlement expansion and annexation. The EU and other international bodies, including the United Nations, have consistently argued that such unilateral actions threaten the feasibility of a two-state solution.
