The topic of the Middle East dominated the G-7 meeting of foreign ministers in Tokyo. Ministers on Wednesday called for “humanitarian breaks and corridors” for the Gaza Strip to be able to bring relief supplies into the area, but also to allow foreigners to leave. Most recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not rule out the possibility of short ceasefires.
The Israeli army continues to try to persuade Palestinians still living in the north of the Gaza Strip to move south. According to them, “thousands of Palestinians” used an escape corridor for the second day in a row on Wednesday. According to the UN estimate, around 15,000 Palestinians moved to the southern part via the central “Salah a-Din” street. The Israeli army has largely separated the north and encircled Gaza City, where the Hamas leadership is suspected.
The G-7 ministers hope that a ceasefire could improve the conditions for the release of the 241 hostages kidnapped by Hamas and that even more foreigners could escape the fighting.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Wednesday night that a total of 200 Germans were now able to leave the Gaza Strip for Egypt via the Rafah border crossing.
An end to Hamas rule is essential for the G7
The foreign ministers also addressed the question of what should happen after the fighting. In the final declaration, the ministers of the G-7 states committed to a two-state solution, i.e. an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. In Tokyo, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken presented in more detail than ever before the US’s thoughts on what the future of the Gaza Strip could look like after the war. Blinken named the parameters that US President Joe Biden considers essential. Accordingly, the Gaza Strip must no longer be a platform for terrorism or other violent attacks, which means an end to Hamas’ rule from the US perspective – a demand that is reportedly shared by the other G-7 members.
At the same time, Blinken demanded that there should be no violent expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and no renewed occupation of the Gaza Strip by Israel, which withdrew from the coastal strip in 2005. Furthermore, there should be no attempts to block or siege the Gaza Strip.
Blinken also refused to reduce the area’s territory. He was responding to considerations in Israel that there should be a broader security corridor in the Gaza Strip. Blinken said there must be a Palestinian-led, unified government for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Foreign Minister Baerbock made similar comments in Tokyo. She had already brought her largely identical demands to the EU and coordinated again with Blinken in a bilateral conversation.
Netanyahu’s environment puts his statement into perspective
Blinken’s clear statements can also be seen as a contradiction to statements made by Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu. Netanyahu said in an interview with US broadcaster ABC on Monday that Israel wanted to assume responsibility for security in the Gaza Strip “for an indefinite period of time” in order to prevent further attacks. His announcements raised questions about what exactly Israel was planning. On Wednesday, an advisor to Netanyahu tried to put the statement into perspective. Israel therefore does not want to permanently occupy the Gaza Strip after the end of the war against Hamas. But there must be a “security presence” from Israel so that the military can go in for operations depending on the threat situation, Mark Regev made clear on the US broadcaster CNN. “We have to distinguish between security presence and political control.”
Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer also tried to interpret the head of government. Netanyahu “did not talk about occupying Gaza,” he emphasized. However, Israel will bear a “general responsibility for security” “for an indefinite period of time,” he said in an interview with the US television station MSNBC. He also expressed his openness to a Palestinian government – under conditions. If a “Palestinian force” governs Gaza “for the benefit of its residents and without wanting to destroy Israel,” it can be discussed. Dermer left open the question of whether this could be the Palestinian Authority under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas.
In fact, the USA is pushing for such a solution, but is pushing for reforms. The autonomous authority is considered corrupt, Abbas himself is 87 years old and has not yet nominated a successor. The last elections were held in 2006 because Abbas refused to set a new date. Blinken had previously tried to persuade the Arab states to participate in a multilateral peacekeeping force that would provide security in the Gaza Strip after the current fighting.