An unusual and public confrontation developed on social media between Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and German Ambassador to Israel Steffen Seibert.
The dispute was sparked by a post from Seibert in which he linked together a series of recent events - a farmer killed by Hezbollah in northern Israel, hundreds wounded by Iranian missile fire in the south and center, and the murder of 18-year-old Yehuda Shmuel Sherman in a vehicle-ramming attack in Samaria - alongside incidents of violence by Jewish extremists in Palestinian villages.
Seibert described the situation as “a day of outrage and sadness," writing: “A farmer killed by Hezbollah up North, hundreds injured by Iran’s missiles in the South and Center. And in a parallel reality: the violent settler rampage in Palestinian villages following the tragic and to be investigated death of one of their own."
Sa'ar responded angrily to the comparison, accusing the ambassador of failing to condemn attacks against Israelis without introducing criticism of Jews living in Judea and Samaria.
“Ambassador Seibert finds it very difficult to condemn attacks against Israelis without bringing up the Palestinians," Sa'ar wrote.
He added that Seibert’s “obsession with Jews living in Judea and Samaria prevents him from even condemning the death of a Jew caused by a Palestinian," and concluded with a pointed remark: “Good to know that a new ambassador will soon arrive - one who will strengthen Israel-Germany relations."
Seibert replied by defending his statements and reiterating Germany’s position: “Dear Minister, I have publicly condemned Iran’s random targeting of Israeli civilians and the criminal use of cluster bombs," he wrote.
He added, “Germany is clear on that" and stressed that “we stand with Israel in this war." At the same time, Seibert said that “settler violence also concerns us greatly," noting that this concern is shared by “the Israeli President and other leaders."