BERLIN

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged the Israeli government to refrain from a Gaza-like military offensive in the West Bank, warning that this would undermine Israel's own security.




“Some members of the Israeli government demand a Gaza-like action in the West Bank, this is precisely what would seriously endanger Israel's security,” Baerbock told reporters in Tel Aviv, after meeting her Israeli counterpart Israel Katz.




She criticized inflammatory statements from Israel's right-wing ministers, their calls to topple the Palestinian Authority, and plans to build new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.




“Some in the Israeli government claim that the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority means rewarding terrorism. But as the EU, as Germany, we are trying to strengthen the Palestinian Authority, that is exactly what we are doing,” Baerbock said.




“We are doing this because we are deeply convinced that only with credible steps toward a Palestinian state, with reforming and strengthening the Palestinian Authority, Israel's security can be secured and terrorism can be fought,” she added.