Chancellor Scholz in Egypt, US President Biden in Israel: Overshadowed by the reports about the destroyed hospital in Gaza with many deaths, crisis diplomacy continues. There is great concern about a wildfire in the region.
Yesterday Tel Aviv, today Cairo – Chancellor Olaf Scholz is traveling as a crisis diplomat. He must find the balance between clear solidarity with Israel after the major attack by the militant Islamist Hamas and the effort to alleviate the suffering of the people in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. For example, by delivering humanitarian aid to the sealed off area.
His visit to the region was overshadowed by the explosion in a hospital in Gaza that left many dead. The news reached the German Chancellor shortly after his departure from Tel Aviv to Cairo. It is unclear who is responsible for the destruction of the clinic.
Scholz: “The Palestinians are not Hamas”
Meanwhile, Scholz met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He spoke to him intensively about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. “It is clear to us: the Palestinians are not Hamas, and Hamas has no right to speak for the Palestinians,” said Scholz. Germany is working with Egypt to ensure that there is humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip as quickly as possible, said Scholz. A particular focus is on the Rafah border crossing, the only access from Egypt to the Gaza Strip. The border is currently closed, meaning tons of aid cannot be delivered to the suffering population in the Gaza Strip.
“We won’t leave people alone,” assured Scholz. “The German government will continue its humanitarian commitment to Gaza to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population.” At the same time, he once again condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the major attack on Israel by the militant Islamist Hamas.
Prevent wildfires
Scholz and Al-Sisi are worried about an expansion of the war between Israel and Hamas, for example if the Shiite Hezbollah militia from Lebanon attacks Israel and other countries in the region also intervene. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian threatened Israel with a “preventive action by the Axis of Resistance.” The term “Axis of Resistance” stands for Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian and other movements that are close to Iran and hostile to Israel.
Egypt doesn’t want Gaza refugees
Cairo and Berlin have “the goal of preventing a conflagration in the Middle East,” emphasized Scholz. For fear of a mass exodus, Egypt – like Jordan – refuses to accept Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip. Head of State Al-Sisi said: “The idea of expelling people from Gaza to Egypt (…) is not feasible and we warn of the risks associated with it.” In this case, the Sinai Peninsula could become the starting point for attacks by militant Palestinians on Israel, for which Egypt could then be held responsible. Al-Sisi said that if there is the idea of expelling Palestinians, “then there is the Negev desert.”
Al-Sisi called on the international community to intervene immediately to stop the “deliberate practices” against civilians in the Israeli-sealed Gaza Strip. The Israeli army’s operations in the coastal strip would have military and humanitarian consequences that could spiral out of control, he warned. It is urgently necessary to open up perspectives for a solution.
US President Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.
Biden at Netanyahu
US President Joe Biden is also trying to find diplomatic solutions in the region. However, an originally planned four-party summit in Jordan was canceled after the explosion in a hospital in Gaza, which does not increase Biden’s chances of success.
The US President met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv. Both demonstrated unity. Biden said the United States supports Israel with everything the country needs to defend itself against Hamas. Biden also expressed caution about the question of guilt for the explosion in the hospital in Gaza. “From what I saw, it looks like it was done by the other team, not you,” Biden said, addressing Netanyahu. However, there are many people who are not sure what caused the explosion.
“Thank you, Mr. President”
Netanyahu thanked Biden for his visit. He was the first US president in history to come to Israel in wartime. “This is deeply moving,” Netanyahu said. It proves how committed Biden is personally to the Jewish people and the Jewish state. “Thank you, Mr. President, for standing with Israel, today, tomorrow and always.”
The USA is one of Israel’s most important supporters. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean to deter further attacks against Israel – including a signal to Iran.