Foreign Minister Baerbock is in crisis mode: Israel, Lebanon, then Egypt. It’s about preventing a “conflagration” in the Middle East. She called on Hezbollah and Shiite militias not to interfere in the conflict.
For the second time since the attacks on Israel began, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to the capital Tel Aviv to advocate for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. The Federal Foreign Minister’s main concern is that the escalation must not turn into a “conflagration” in the Middle East. At the same time, she wants to work to ensure that the hostages in the hands of the militant Islamist Hamas are released. There are said to be eight Germans among them.
Germany wants to use intensive discussions with numerous partners and actors to try to prevent “the region from falling into chaos,” said the Green politician. She had previously discussed the situation with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen and then met with Israeli opposition politician Benny Gantz for talks.
After the meetings, Baerbock emphasized again that Germany is “firmly on Israel’s side,” which has a duty to protect its own citizens within the framework of international law. “The terror of Hamas must be fought, otherwise there will be no peace and no security – neither for Israel nor for the Palestinians,” said Baerbock.
Crisis discussions in Lebanon
The Federal Foreign Minister’s efforts to counteract a possible expansion of the crisis are following a tight schedule. Before the meetings in Israel, there were already talks in Jordan on Thursday. And in the afternoon, Baerbock’s journey continued to the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Here Baerbock met the acting Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. On the other hand, she wants to hold talks with the country’s acting Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, and with the Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces, Joseph Aoun.
The Green politician hopes to persuade the leadership in Lebanon to influence the radical Islamic Hezbollah militia. This had openly supported the attacks on Israel by the militant Islamist Hamas. In the past few days there had been repeated rocket fire between Israel and Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon.
Warning words to Hezbollah and Shiite militias
Before leaving Tel Aviv, Baerbock had sent clear words to Hezbollah: The militia should not drag the entire Lebanon into the conflict. But the minister’s warning words were also aimed at other actors who are concerned that they could further exacerbate the escalation. “I’m warning Iran, I’m warning Shiite militias in Iraq, I’m warning the Houthis in Yemen not to set fires and jump on the treadmill of terror,” warned Baerbock.
On Thursday, a US Navy destroyer shot down three cruise missiles and several drones in the northern Red Sea, according to the Department of Defense in Washington DC. These are said to have been fired by Houthi rebels. “We cannot say with certainty what these missiles and drones were aimed at, but they were launched from Yemen north across the Red Sea, possibly at targets in Israel,” said ministry spokesman Patrick Ryder in response to the incident.
On Saturday to the peace summit in Egypt
Contrary to original plans, Baerbock will extend her stay in the Middle East in order to take part in a peace summit in Egypt on Saturday. According to Egyptian media, Egypt’s head of state Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, are expected at the meeting. Israel says it is not invited and is not taking part.
The summit in the Egyptian capital will focus on how the “civil catastrophe” can be averted and show “that terrorism benefits no one in this region,” said Baerbock. She was also referring to the catastrophic situation for the population in the Gaza Strip. The delivery of humanitarian aid is expected to begin this weekend.
Baerbock emphasized that the people there lack everything. Hamas bears responsibility for the atrocities it committed. The closure of the Gaza Strip and the suffering associated with it threatens to create “breeding ground for new terrorism” and also endanger “any steps towards rapprochement with our Arab neighbors that have been achieved so far.” This is “the terrorists’ calculation,” warned Baerbock, referring to the Hamas militia.