German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said that recognition of Palestinian statehood can only follow negotiations on a two-state solution; at the same time, the minister warned that Germany will respond to any unilateral actions by Israel in the Gaza Strip, Reuters reports.
Wadephul made the statement on the 31st of July, ahead of a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Berlin said the visit was planned to get a first-hand look at the situation in Gaza, amid growing concerns about the humanitarian crisis and famine.
The minister’s remarks are the strongest yet from Germany on Israel at a time when Western countries are putting pressure on Israel. France, Britain and Canada have announced their readiness to recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN assembly scheduled for September. Meanwhile, critics point out that Berlin’s reaction remains overly cautious, driven by historical guilt over the Holocaust and a pro-Israeli stance among influential media outlets. This overall weakens the ability of Western countries to meaningfully exert pressure on Israel, which is deliberately causing a humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Wadephul stressed Germany’s position that a sustainable solution to the war in Gaza can only be achieved through negotiations on a two-state solution, where Palestine and Israel coexist peacefully. “In light of open annexation threats from parts of the Israeli government, a growing number of countries – including many in Europe – are now prepared to recognise a Palestinian state even without a prior negotiation process. The region and the Middle East peace process are therefore at a crossroads,” the minister said. He added that the peace process must begin now, and
if Israel takes unilateral decisions, Germany will be forced to act.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition includes two far-right parties that are calling for the immediate takeover of Gaza and the restoration of Jewish settlements. Two government ministers have also called for the annexation of the Gaza Strip.
More than 60,000 people have died in the nearly two-year war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, and more civilians are now starving.
Until now, Germany, along with the United States, has been one of Israel’s most serious supporters. Officials say Berlin’s approach to Israel is determined by a special political responsibility, rooted in the emotional legacy of the Holocaust.
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