Israel files a complaint
The Foreign Office introduces itself to Ambassador Seibert
September 18, 2023, 3:16 p.m
Steffen Seibert is a man of moderate words. However, the German ambassador angered the government in Israel with a video on the occasion of a deliberation of the Supreme Court. The Foreign Office does not understand the criticism and speaks of it as “common practice”.
The Foreign Office in Berlin has defended German Ambassador Steffen Seibert against criticism from Israel. “Following relevant political, including domestic, developments in the host country is a central task of diplomats,” explained a ministry spokeswoman. According to media reports, Seibert has been criticized because he recently took part as a spectator in a Supreme Court deliberation on the controversial judicial reform. However, the Foreign Office described attending such an event as “common practice”.
According to an Israeli representative, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen is said to have sent an official complaint about Seibert to Berlin. Israeli media reported that the German ambassador was accused of interfering in internal affairs. However, a ministry spokesman assured at the government press conference in Berlin: “The Foreign Office has not received any complaints from Israel.”
According to media reports confirmed by the Israeli representative familiar with the details, the official complaint was sent to the Foreign Office through the Israeli ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor. When asked whether the ambassador may have contacted Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Green Party directly, the Foreign Office spokesman said: “I am not aware of that.” Baerbock is in New York, where the general debate at the United Nations General Assembly is taking place this week.
“I think something important is happening here”
Last week, Seibert took part as a spectator in a meeting of Israel’s Supreme Court, which discussed the right-wing conservative government’s controversial judicial reform. “I think something important is happening here for Israeli democracy,” said Seibert at the hearing in a video published on the online service X. “As friends of Israel, we look at the Supreme Court with great interest. I wanted to take a look at that.”
The Israeli parliament passed the law under consideration at the hearing to limit the powers of the judiciary in July with a narrow majority despite mass protests. According to critics, the reform undermines the judiciary as an important pillar of Israeli democracy.
Seibert had already been criticized by Israel in the past after he was present as a private citizen at an alternative memorial event for Israeli and Palestinian families. They remembered their relatives who had been killed in the conflict on both sides.