Status: 02/10/2022 9:17 p.m
During her visit to the West Bank, Foreign Minister Baerbock called on Israelis and Palestinians to engage in dialogue. Germany is ready to mediate. People need “finally a political process again”.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Ramallah in the West Bank following talks in Jerusalem. There she met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riad Malki for talks. She called on Israelis and Palestinians to dialogue. Germany will do everything to ensure that the “Israeli and Palestinian representatives come back to the dialogue table,” she said at a joint press conference with Malki.
Two states as the “only option”
She promoted the two-state solution as the “only option” for peace and security in the region. What is meant is the formation of a democratic and independent Palestinian state that exists peacefully alongside Israel. The status quo is unsustainable and always leads to escalation. The peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has been idle since 2014.
There have recently been some rapprochement steps, “the ice age of the last few years seems to be over,” said Baerbock. Mutual trust is the most effective way to prevent hatred and violence from flaring up again. People “finally need a political process again,” Baerbock demanded in Ramallah, and offered Germany’s support in mediating new negotiations.
Criticism of settlement policy
Malki, on the other hand, complained that there was no partner for new peace talks on the Israeli side. “We hope that Germany will convince Israel to sit down at the table with us,” he said.
Baerbock called on the Palestinian leadership to continue to prioritize democracy, respect for human rights and women’s rights. That included elections. This helps to create the conditions for a two-state solution.
Talks in Israel
Baerbock had previously traveled to Israel and, prior to talks with Israel’s Foreign Minister Lapid, commemorated the six million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.
She emphasized the deep friendship between the two countries and focused on the common fight against “growing anti-Semitism in Germany and the world” as a central task. However, she also voiced clear criticism of Israel’s construction of settlements in the Palestinian territories. This is “incompatible with international law”.
Lapid said the Israeli government’s policy is “do no harm.” There will be “natural growth” in the settlements, but nothing will be built that would prevent a future two-state solution, Lapid said.
On Friday Baerbock travels to Jordan, the last stop of her Middle East trip is Egypt on Saturday.