The Chancellor has so far refrained from harshly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. On his second trip to the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war, he initially left it with a clear warning.
On his second trip to the Middle East since the start of the Gaza war, Chancellor Olaf Scholz urgently called for a ceasefire. “It is very clear that we must now do everything we can to ensure that the situation does not become even worse than it is,” said the SPD politician on Sunday after a conversation with the Jordanian King Abdullah in Aqaba with a view to a possible Israeli ground offensive in the south of the Gaza Strip. “I believe that a large number of victims in such an offensive would make any peaceful development very difficult. Many in Israel also know that.”
In Israel, Scholz wanted to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. Immediately beforehand, he made it clear that he was adhering to a military operation in Rafah on the border with Egypt and that he was firmly opposed to an end to the Gaza war before all Israeli goals had been achieved. “If we end the war now before its goals are achieved, it will mean that Israel has lost the war,” said the head of government. This will not be allowed.
Also meetings with relatives of hostages
In addition to Netanyahu, Scholz also wanted to speak to President Izchak Herzog, Minister Benny Gantz and relatives of hostages. The Gaza war was triggered by a terrorist attack on Israel by the Palestinian Hamas on October 7th. Israel wants to destroy Hamas and free the hostages from the control of the terrorist organization. It is believed that around 100 of them are still alive.
Scholz traveled to Israel for the first time ten days after the Hamas attack to assure the country of German solidarity. “The security of Israel and its citizens is German reasons of state,” he said at the time. “Our responsibility arising from the Holocaust makes it our task to stand up for the existence and security of the State of Israel.”
German reason of state: Scholz holds back from criticism
In contrast to other allies, Scholz has remained very reserved in criticizing the Israeli military operation against Hamas, in which, according to the Hamas health authority, tens of thousands of people were killed. This is also due to German reasons of state. This is being viewed critically in the Arab world. However, Scholz’s warnings have become clearer step by step. The extent to which he was prepared to put Netanyahu under pressure during the talks in Jerusalem remained unclear before the meeting.
The Israeli Prime Minister approved the controversial ground offensive in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip on Friday. According to estimates, 1.5 million Palestinians are currently seeking protection from the fighting in the other areas of the Gaza Strip in very small spaces and under miserable conditions. Aid organizations warn of many more civilian deaths.
Scholz warns of large numbers of victims
It should not come to this “that many who fled to Rafah in Gaza are now in immediate danger” from military action, warned Scholz. “That’s why I, like the American president, made it very clear that we think that this is something where we have to do everything very, very, very carefully to avoid further large numbers of victims.”
With a view to a planned resumption of indirect negotiations on a provisional ceasefire, Scholz said: “It is very clear to me that it is now also a matter of concretizing the possibility, which is evident in the existing talks, of a ceasefire that lasts longer, get.”
According to local media reports, Israel’s war cabinet wanted to meet with Netanyahu on Sunday to decide whether to send a delegation to Qatar. There, the recently stalled talks on a ceasefire are set to continue in the capital Doha after the Islamist Hamas presented a new proposal to the mediators.
Germany takes part in airlift for Gaza
While Scholz met the Jordanian king in Aqaba, the Air Force was preparing further aid flights almost 400 kilometers away at the “King Abdullah Airbase” near the capital Amman. Germany is thus participating in the Jordanian initiative for an airlift to the Gaza Strip. After the first delivery of four tons of food – including rice and flour – was parachuted from a transport plane over the north of the Palestinian territory on Saturday, the second relief flight took place on Sunday. Several other countries also had transport aircraft in use.
Again protests in Israel against Netanyahu government
A day before the Chancellor’s visit, thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities for the release of hostages held by Hamas and against the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu. In some places, people set small fires, set off smoke bombs and chanted for the hostages to be released. The police used water cannons to break up individual gatherings. Relatives of the hostages called for a new deal for their release and called on the government to act quickly. “They don’t have any more time, we don’t have any more time. Do something now, we need you!” said a relative at a rally.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
