Press
This is the eighth time that Foreign Minister Baerbock has visited Israel since the Hamas terror attack. At the Herzliya Conference, she outlined paths to lasting peace.
Tel Aviv – Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for an international security partnership to end the violence in the Gaza Strip. “In order to build lasting security, it is now crucial to find ways to stop the violence in Gaza, to end the fighting permanently,” said the Green politician at the Herzliya Security Conference of the Institute for Politics and Strategy and Reichman University in Israel. This is the focus of all her talks in Israel and with American, European and Arab partners.
This is Baerbock’s eighth visit to Israel since the bloody terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on the country on October 7. This Tuesday, the minister will hold political talks in the Palestinian territories, Jerusalem and the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Need for security for Israelis and Palestinians
“Permanent security for all Israelis will only be possible if there is permanent security for the Palestinians. And at the same time: permanent security for the Palestinians will only be possible if there is permanent security for the Israelis,” said Baerbock. She added: “One is not possible without the other.”
Baerbock said that she and other EU ministers had discussed a possible re-deployment of the former EU border protection mission Eubam at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. The discussion was about “how we can ensure that border guards are trained with European support, but also to ensure security at the border.” This could then enable humanitarian goods to be imported again via the border crossing, which has been closed for almost two months. Such international security guarantees could in turn be built upon so that a reformed Palestinian Authority could take over security control.
Baerbock again called on the Israeli government to uphold human rights and international law during the military operation in the Gaza Strip. She described reports of mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners as disturbing. At the same time, she demanded that the Islamist Hamas “put an end to this horror” and release all hostages. Hamas wanted to destroy Israel’s security, but also its legitimacy. “It is Hamas that tried to trigger a regional escalation with the help of its international supporters.”
During her visit, Baerbock also wants to look again for ways to achieve a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. This means an independent Palestinian state that exists peacefully side by side with Israel. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects a two-state solution, as does Hamas.
Baerbock: Resignation is not an option
Germany knows that the path to lasting security will be very difficult, Baerbock admitted. “But raising our hands in resignation is not an option: because that will not end the pain of the hostages’ families and will not end the suffering of the innocent children in Gaza,” she added.
Complete withdrawal of Hezbollah required
Baerbock called for a complete and verifiable withdrawal of the Shiite Hezbollah militia from the border area between Lebanon and Israel. The increase in violence on Israel’s northern border is a cause for great concern – which is one of the reasons why she is traveling to the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday. Together with partners, they are working intensively on solutions that could prevent further suffering. “The risk of unintentional escalation and a full-scale war is growing every day. Extreme caution is therefore required.”
Israel wants to use diplomatic pressure to get the militia to withdraw behind the Litani River, 30 kilometers from the border – as stipulated in a UN resolution. If necessary, however, Israel is also prepared to use a larger military operation, warned Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant.
Talks in Ramallah, Jerusalem and Beirut
On Tuesday, talks with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mohammed Mustafa, are planned in Ramallah about the situation in the West Bank and the PA’s reform efforts. A meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is planned in Jerusalem. On Tuesday afternoon, Baerbock wants to speak with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut.
Warning to Israel
Baerbock outlined elements that she believes are crucial for building lasting security. The images of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip triggered strong emotions, dismay, sadness and anger, she said. “As a friend of Israel, I want to be frank: This anger does not help Israel to meet its security needs, on the contrary,” said the minister, adding: “It only serves Hamas’ cynical efforts to provoke further escalation.”
Israel’s greatest strength and its best protection are its humanity, its commitment to democratic values, international law and human rights, warned Baerbock. Against this background, she described reports of mistreatment of prisoners in Gaza as disturbing. This also applies to reports of the brutal expulsion of Palestinians by extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
“Palestinians must ultimately assume security responsibility”
It must also be clarified how economic reconstruction in the Gaza Strip will be financed and ensured so that “these efforts are not misused to build new terrorist structures,” said Baerbock.
Germany is grateful that the Arab partners are driving this dialogue forward, the minister added. But the partners have also made it clear that they will not invest in reconstruction without a roadmap for a Palestinian state and without assurances that this will be the last war in Gaza. The Arabs’ vision must be taken into account together with what Europeans, Americans and others are prepared to offer.
Baerbock to Palestinian Authority: Reforms necessary
This also includes a joint effort to define the future role of the Palestinian Authority (PA), said Baerbock. If the PA is to take on the role of the legitimate government authority in Gaza at some point, it must be able to guarantee this – including with police and security forces. To do this, the PA must be reformed. Baerbock added: “In the current situation, it is dangerous and counterproductive to destroy and destabilize established PA structures.” But this is exactly what the illegal expansion of Israeli settlement projects in the West Bank is doing. dpa
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