German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on Israel to halt its settlement projects in the West Bank during talks in Tel Aviv on Friday, after earlier stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The top German diplomat is in the Middle East to promote efforts to advance a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, as well as to increase humanitarian aid into war-ravaged Gaza. After 11 months of fighting, the Biden administration said this week it believes that a ceasefire deal remains within reach. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that troops stay in a buffe…