Germany sends unarmed officers to Palestinian territories
Germany has sent several unarmed police officers to the Palestinian territories - to help stabilize the situation and further strengthen local civil security forces, local media reported today.
"A functional police force is essential for lasting peace in the Middle East," Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the German news agency (DPA), adding that for this reason he decided to send a high-level team from the Federal Police to Jerusalem.
The officers are supporting the reconstruction of police and security forces in the Palestinian territories from there and are stationed in the Office for Security (OSC), Dobrindt said.
The team, initially consisting of four police officers, arrived in the Palestinian territories about two weeks ago, according to the news agency.
According to German media, the team's mission is to further develop Germany's contribution to strengthening civilian security forces in the Palestinian territories, building on more than 15 years of already existing German police support.
According to DPA, the EU mission "EUBAM Rafah" has been reactivated since the beginning of 2025. Its main task, according to the agency, is to maintain a neutral presence at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Currently, however, the mission is in a state of suspension.
According to the Interior Ministry, Germany is currently participating in this mission with two police officers, both stationed in Ramat Gan, Israel. Coordination and administration tasks are carried out from Ramat Gan.
The ministry added that German participation in the EUPOL COPPS mission, which is mandated to further develop Palestinian police and law enforcement in the West Bank, is expected to resume in January next year. A German police officer was stationed there until the end of October.
Meanwhile, the German Armed Forces currently have three staff officers stationed in southern Israel as part of the so-called stabilization process in the Gaza Strip. According to the Defense Ministry, the soldiers are in uniform but unarmed and stationed at the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC).
