Settlers curse German lawmakers touring Hebron

A group of German members of parliament encountered a less-than-welcoming reception as they toured the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday.

As they approached the Tomb of the Patriarchs, several Israeli settlers and right-wing activists began calling out insults towards the lawmakers until a local police force stepped in and came between the two parties.

The officers then escorted the German group until their departure. Officials from the Judea and Samaria District Police said they were investigating the incident.

On Thursday the legislators, members of the German parliament's law committee, issued a statement saying they had been cursed and threatened by the settlers and forced to break off their visit after Israeli troops refused to intervene.

''The Israeli police and army showed no willingness to step in and said they couldn't guarantee the safety of the delegation,'' the statement said. ''In order to give the peace process a chance, the members of the law committee, as friends of Israel, appeal to the Israeli authorities to rein in the fanaticism of Jewish settlers.''

The IDF declined comment. In Berlin, the Israeli embassy apologized for the incident.

The Israeli ambassador in Germany, Yoram Ben-Zeev, spoke to the lawmakers by phone, said embassy spokesman Aaron Sagui.

''The ambassador here has ... expressed his regret for the incident and during the next week Ambassador Ben-Zeev intends to meet personally with each one of the members of the committee that were part of this delegation to express personally his feelings and to apologize for what has happened,'' Sagui said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report