Steinmeier in Israel: difficult conversation and rocket alarm

The prime minister prepared his guest a rather unfriendly reception. Almost two hours before Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the Federal President on Tuesday, he announced a new, ultimate offensive in the Gaza strip in front of reservists from the Israeli army. “In the next few days we will be full of strength to complete the use,” said Netanyahu. Frank-Walter Steinmeier had not even entered the official seat of the Prime Minister, so he was faced with the facts.

The situation did not make the situation easier for the Federal President. He actually came to Jerusalem, appreciating diplomatic relationships between Israel and Germany for 60 years. To celebrate a reason according to the German crime of the Holocaust. President Herzog was in Berlin on Monday, in return he received Steinmeier in Israel. The two heads of state have known each other for two decades and are now closely friends. You can’t say that from Netanyahu and Steinmeier.

But it is no longer about personal relationships. With Netanyahu’s announcement, immediately before the meeting, an already difficult question arose with new urgency: how to deal with the difficult partner? How much criticism of Netanyahus in the Gaza strip does solidarity with Israel allows after the brutal murders of Hamas on October 7, 2023 with hundreds of dead and still 58 deported hostages in the hands of the terrorist organization?

In the German public, the strange of the Israelis is growing. Does violence really help the liberation of the hostages? Or wouldn’t the path to new negotiations be better suited? One cannot say that Netanyahu avoids interlocutors from Berlin. The Israeli Prime Minister is experiencing German weeks. He spoke to the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz after his election in the Bundestag. Merz, who had shown himself very solidarity with Netanyahu in the election campaign, soon wants to travel to Israel, it is said. The new Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul was already there, explained the release of the Israeli hostages at a priority, but also called the humanitarian situation of the Palestinians “unbearable”. According to WadePhul, he was not sure whether the military offensive, which has been reinforced in the past few weeks, serves the long -term security of Israel.

Now the offensive is to be managed even harder. With full strength, as Netanyahu formulated. Frank-Walter Steinmeier probably heard criticism that has become loud at Netanyahu before his departure. Amnesty International had the Federal President to shake hands with a prime minister who was responsible for war crimes in the Gaza strip. That is an affront to the victims. However, the Federal President rejected the demand for a waiver of a meeting with Netanyahu as “very simple”. He didn’t want to avoid difficult conversations. “It was never my attitude and it is not particularly in relation to Israel.”

The two men sat together in the early evening. A short photo shoot in the study of the Prime Minister, Netanyahu and Steinmeier in two armchairs, separated by a table, no small talk, no effort for a relaxed atmosphere. Steinmeier had previously formulated as a goal: “We will talk about warfare, and I very much hope that we will get explanations for it.”

On the one hand, Steinmeier does not see Germany as a neutral intermediary, but on the side of Israel, which, after the attack of Hamas, perceives his right to defense. The Federal President, Foreign Minister for almost eight years, is not naive. He knows about the dilemma of the Israeli army against which Hamas can only be able to proceed the price of civilian victims. He knows that the terrorists can stabilize their power in the Gaza strip about the distribution of urgently needed aid deliveries.

On the other hand, compassion and international law require that Israel are trying to improve living conditions in the Gaza strip. And both at the festive dinner for President Herzog in Bellevue Castle on Monday evening and at a meeting with Israeli intellectuals on Tuesday in Jerusalem, the Federal President gave a clear demand: more pressure on Netanyahu. Even US President Donald Trump, so you not only follow in Berlin, seems to lose patience with his protégé Netanyahu. The US government threaded the deal for the release of the American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander past Israel with Hamas. These days, the US President travels through several Arab states, also to strengthen economic relationships with countries like Saudi Arabia. And of all people, Trump, who once exit from the nuclear Agreement with Iran, is now pushing for a new agreement with Israel’s archenemy.

30 minutes were set for the encounter Steinmeier with Netanyahu, it took 45 minutes. A verbal exchange of blows? Rather not. Has the Federal President received the desired explanations? How to take it. According to reports, Netanyahu referred to the fact that a majority of Israelis demand the liberation of hostages, an end of the war and the security that Hamas will no longer cause any danger. The prime minister claims that his offensive serves all of these goals. At the same time, the channel should remain open to negotiations. Steinmeier’s demands for more humanitarian aid does not close Netanyahu – however, he demands a different system of distribution than before. There are now private American foundations. According to the Federal President, Netanyahu also asked Netanyahu to show political perspectives for the end of the war, not least with Arab countries. But there has been no question of this at Netanyahu.

At 7:27 p.m. on Tuesday evening, Steinmeier suddenly had an unscheduled appointment. The Warnapps on the Israeli cell phones announced a rocket alarm, the Federal President, his wife and the delegation were led to King David in Jerusalem, a long, concrete hallway in the basement. The hotel’s supply lines hang on the ceiling. After ten minutes everything is over, the Israeli defense has destroyed the long -range rocket from Yemen – the guest from Germany got a brief impression of everyday life in Israel.