FM Sa’ar criticizes German ambassador for condemning settler violence in post about Iranian missile attacks
Seibert has ‘obsession with Jews living in Judea and Samaria’, Sa’ar says, looking forward to new German ambassador
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused German Ambassador Steffen Seibert of having an “obsession with Jews living in Judea and Samaria” in a social media post on Sunday.
Sa’ar’s remarks came after Seibert posted a note to social media lamenting the death of northern Galilee farmer Ofer Moskovitz, who, according to initial reports, was killed by a Hezbollah attack, but who in fact was hit by a stray IDF projectile in a 'friendly fire' incident on Sunday morning.
“A day of outrage and sadness: a farmer killed by Hizbollah up North, hundreds injured by Iran‘s missiles in the South and Center,” Seibert wrote to 𝕏.
However, the German ambassador followed that sentence with one condemning the “violent settler rampage” that happened Saturday night.
“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,” Seibert wrote.
Ambassador Seibert was referring to vigilante violence on Saturday night, in which dozens of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in at least 20 different locations across Judea and Samaria following the death of Yehuda Sherman, an Israeli living on an illegal outpost in Samaria.
At least 11 Palestinians were reported to have been injured in the attacks, which were recorded in the villages of Jalud, Fandaqumiya, Silat ad-Dhahr, and Qaryut. Pictures and videos showed buildings and vehicles that were damaged in the attacks.
Sherman was killed when a vehicle driven by a Palestinian hit the ATV in which Yehuda Sherman and his brother Daniel were driving, close to the illegal Shuva Yisrael Farms.
The driver of the Palestinian vehicle later turned himself in to the IDF, who said they are investigating the incident to determine whether it was an accident or a purposeful terror attack.
Seibert’s post led Minister Sa’ar to make a response using his own 𝕏 account.
“Ambassador Seibert finds it very difficult to condemn attacks against Israelis without bringing up the Palestinians,” Minister Sa’ar wrote. “His obsession with Jews living in Judea and Samaria prevents him from even condemning the death of a Jew caused by a Palestinian.”
Ambassador Seibert finds it very difficult to condemn attacks against Israelis without bringing up the Palestinians.
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) March 22, 2026
His obsession with Jews living in Judea and Samaria prevents him from even condemning the death of a Jew caused by a Palestinian.
Good to know that a new… https://t.co/w5pYWhplYr
Sa’ar then expressed gratitude that Germany will soon be appointing a new ambassador to Israel, writing, “Good to know that a new ambassador will soon arrive - one who will strengthen Israel-Germany relations.”
Following Sa’ar’s post, Ambassador Seibert replied, noting that he has “publicly condemned Iran’s random targeting of Israeli civilians and the criminal use of cluster bombs.”
“Germany is clear on that. We stand with Israel in this war,” Seibert continued.
Dear Minister, I have publicly condemned Iran‘s random targeting of Israeli civilians and the criminal use of cluster bombs. Germany is clear on that. We stand with Israel in this war. Settler violence also concerns us greatly, as it does the Israeli President and other leaders.
— Steffen Seibert (@GerAmbTLV) March 22, 2026
“Settler violence also concerns us greatly, as it does the Israeli President and other leaders,” he concluded.
While Minister Sa’ar did not respond via his personal account, the Foreign Ministry did reply, writing, “Mr. Ambassador, The people of Israel are in a state of war.”
“You have continuously failed to show genuine empathy with Israelis,” the statement continued, citing Seibert’s lack of condemnation of Sherman’s death, which is still being investigated.
“Instead, you chose to politically equate the constant barrage against Israeli civilians with fringe criminal acts that have been clearly and unequivocally condemned by the Israeli Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Defense Minister,” the ministry statement said. “This does not strengthen Israel–Germany relations - quite the opposite.”
The Foreign Ministry has previously expressed criticism of Seibert for social media posts in which he appeared to uncritically share claims made by the Gaza Health Ministry during the Gaza war, or for attending on Israel's Memorial Day the controversial "Alternative Day of Remembrance" that pays tribute to both Israelis and Palestinians killed in the years of conflict.
The ministry claims that some of the Palestinians memorialized in the event were, in fact, members of Palestinian terror groups.
Seibert is set to retire this summer and be replaced by Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Germany’s current ambassador to Russia and a former Member of the European Parliament for the Free Democratic Party (FDP).
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
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