The German cabinet has approved new measures to fight right-wing political violence, including tougher rules on gun ownership and stricter monitoring of hate speech online, responding to a rise in hate crime by militant extremists.

Key points: The killing of a pro-migrant politician and other attacks mounted pressure on Berlin to act

The killing of a pro-migrant politician and other attacks mounted pressure on Berlin to act New rules would oblige online platforms to tell authorities about hate content

New rules would oblige online platforms to tell authorities about hate content The far-right was responsible for 90 per cent of anti-Semitic incidents in Germany last year

Chancellor Angela Merkel's Government has been under pressure to act after the killing of a pro-immigration politician in June and an attack on a synagogue and a kebab shop in Halle by an anti-Semitic gunman earlier this month, which left two dead.

Both crimes were carried out by right-wing militants, who were active on online platforms used by extremists to spread racist propaganda and make threats against politicians.

"The horrible attack on the Jewish community in Halle showed again what the unleashing of hatred online can lead to," Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht said at a news conference in Berlin, where she introduced the bundle of measures alongside Germany's interior and family ministers.

"We will fight far-right terrorism and anti-Semitism with all the power of the law."

The Halle shooter killed two people following attacks on a synagogue and a kebab shop. ( DPA via AP: Sebastian Willnow )

The new rules oblige online platforms and social media companies to inform security agencies and police about hate content.

If authorities suspect that crimes such as incitement have been committed, the platforms are required to disclose the offender's IP address.

The Government also wants to make it illegal to sell guns to members of extremist groups monitored by security agencies.

Families Minister Franziska Giffey also announced that pro-democracy civil groups would get additional funding of 115 million euros ($186 million) annually for the next four years in their fight against far-right extremism and anti-Semitism.

Germany will also receive more police and intelligence officers tackling far-right extremism and terrorism — so that eventually the authorities will have the same amount of staff and capacities as they have in their fight against Islamic extremism.

Far-right responsible for majority of anti-Semitic incidents

The German Government has stepped up its monitoring of far-right violence in recent years. ( Reuters: Fabrizio Bensch )

The Jewish community welcomed the plan but said focusing on right-wing anti-Semitism would not end violence against Jews in a country still coming to terms with its Nazi past.

In recent years, thousands of Germans have expressed dismay at the rise of the anti-Muslim far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which won almost a quarter of the vote in a regional election in the eastern state of Thuringia last Sunday.

"Anti-Semitism comes from right-wing extremists, left-wing extremists, Islamists and from within German society," Berlin Jewish community member Sigmount Koenigsberg said.

"Because anti-Semitism is so wide-ranging, we need a more comprehensive strategy. No one is born anti-Semitic. The road to anti-Semitism is long. So prevention is crucial," he said.

The far-right Alternative for Germany believes mass immigration is "Islamising" the country. ( ABC News: David Sciasci )

The Government said about 90 per cent of the 1,800 incidents recorded against Jews last year were committed by individuals espousing far-right views.

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Head of the home affairs committee in the Bundestag lower house, Andrea Lindholz, said right-wing extremism and Islamist terrorism were some of "the biggest security threats facing Germany".

"The main challenge is the fight against the boundless hate on the internet. The internet should not remain in a legal vacuum."

Two years ago, Germany introduced laws allowing fines of up to 50 million euros ($81 million) for social media sites that failed to remove hate messages promptly.

The new rules prompted Facebook to delete thousands of posts deemed as hate speech.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency estimates there are about 24,100 "right-wing extremists" in Germany, about half of whom are potentially violent.

ABC/wires