© Reuters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers his speech after a gathering with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Jerusalem, March 17, 2024. Leo Correa/Pool by way of REUTERS
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By Sarah Marsh
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz questioned the “terribly excessive prices” of Israel’s offensive on Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza on Sunday, saying the world couldn’t merely stand by and watch as Palestinians threat hunger within the enclave.
Talking after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Scholz stated he had shared his issues in regards to the excessive variety of civilian casualties and inadequate support reaching Gaza the place support businesses say famine is looming.
Whereas many international locations have expressed comparable issues, the warning was unusually stark for the German chief, who has repeatedly underscored Israel’s proper to defend itself after Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on the nation that killed 1,200 folks, in keeping with Israeli tallies.
Germany has been certainly one of Israel’s staunchest allies alongside america, underlining its responsibility to face by the nation’s facet in atonement for its perpetration of the Nazi Holocaust by which 6 million Jews died.
“The extra determined the state of affairs of the folks in Gaza turns into, the extra this begs the query: Regardless of how vital the purpose can it justify such terribly excessive prices, or are there different methods to attain your purpose?” Scholz stated in English at a joint look with Netanyahu.
Scholz’s journey on Sunday to Jordan and Israel got here after Israel on Friday permitted a plan to assault town of Rafah on the southern fringe of the shattered Palestinian enclave the place greater than half of its 2.3 million residents are sheltering after 5 months of warfare.
International allies and critics have urged Netanyahu to carry off attacking Rafah, fearing mass civilian casualties. However Israel says it is likely one of the final strongholds of Hamas whom it has pledged to remove and that residents will probably be evacuated.
“How ought to greater than 1.5 million folks be protected? The place ought to they go?” Scholz requested. The big variety of civilian casualties that might outcome from a Rafah assault would make regional peace “very troublesome”, Scholz stated earlier within the day after talks with Jordanian King Abdullah within the Jordanian Purple Sea port of Aqaba.
Scholz added that he had spoken with Netanyahu in regards to the want for situations for the distribution of support to be “urgently and massively improved”.
“We can not stand by and watch Palestinians threat hunger,” he stated. “That is not us. That isn’t what we stand for.”
TWO-STATE SOLUTION
Sustainable safety is not going to come from “increased partitions and deeper ditches” however from a constructive perspective for each the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, which means a two-state answer, stated Scholz.
For this the Palestinian Authority must be reformed and strengthened, each when it comes to personnel and constructions, he stated.
“Lasting safety for future generations of Israeli folks lies in an answer with the Palestinians, not towards them,” he stated. “Terror can’t be defeated with army means alone.”
Netanyahu responded by saying that an settlement that made Israel look weak would create an unsustainable peace.
Talking with reporters earlier within the day within the Jordanian Purple Sea port of Aqaba, Scholz stated it was “very clear we should do every thing so the state of affairs doesn’t worsen than it already is.”
Scholz didn’t instantly reply a query about whether or not Germany would react to a large-scale Rafah offensive, for instance by proscribing German weapons exports to Israel.
Germany is dealing with rising accusations – together with from distinguished Jewish residents in Germany – of permitting guilt to blinker its response to Israel’s retaliation.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim accused Europe throughout a go to to Berlin final week of being “hypocritical” and selective in its concern for various peoples, overlooking many years of widespread Palestinian struggling.
Israel’s air and floor marketing campaign within the enclave has killed greater than 31,600 folks, say well being authorities in Hamas-run Gaza, pushed a lot of the inhabitants from their houses and introduced them to the brink of famine, in keeping with support businesses.