At his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) openly questioned Israel’s military actions in the Gaza war in view of the high number of victims.
At a joint press event, he emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself against the terror of the Islamist Hamas. At the same time, he urged Netanyahu to rethink his strategy in the Gaza Strip. “No matter how important the goal may be, can it justify such terribly high costs, or are there other ways to achieve this goal?” asked the Chancellor.
Netanyahu, on the other hand, stated that he had agreed with the German guest that “Hamas must be eliminated.” There will be no peace as long as the Islamist terrorist organization remains in the Gaza Strip, he said. “We have no future if Hamas, which is determined to commit genocide against us, remains intact.”
Scholz: “There is also a humanitarian logic”
Netanyahu approved a ground offensive in the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt on Friday. Around 1.5 of the more than 2.2 million people living in the Gaza Strip have sought refuge there. Aid organizations speak of catastrophic conditions. Israel’s allies and international aid workers fear extremely high casualties if Israel begins a military operation.
High numbers of victims could in turn lead to serious unrest around the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The holy fasting period for Muslims all over the world began a week ago. Hamas has called on Palestinians to “march” to Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan. The mosque is considered the third most important shrine in Islam. The first Friday prayer of this year’s Ramadan passed without incident.
Netanyahu assured that the civilian population would be brought to safety before the planned offensive. Scholz asked how 1.5 million would be protected or where they should be taken. “The military logic is a consideration, but there is also a humanitarian logic.”
Chancellor speaks of “very open discussion among friends”
In the five months of the war, the number of civilian casualties was extremely high, “many would say too high,” said Scholz. “No matter how important the goal may be, can it justify such terribly high costs, or are there other ways to achieve this goal?” asked the Chancellor. Terrorism cannot be defeated by military means alone, he continued. “We need a solution to this conflict that ensures sustainable and lasting security.”
Questions were not allowed at the short press event. After the meeting, when asked by journalists, Scholz did not reveal whether Netanyahu had responded to his warnings. The situation in Rafah was discussed “very intensively”. He spoke of “very open discussions among friends” with Netanyahu.
Differences became clear before the meeting
It was the chancellor’s second visit since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, which was triggered by a terrorist attack on Israel by the Palestinian Hamas. According to the Hamas health authority, tens of thousands of people were killed in the Israeli military operation against the terrorist organization.
Before his visit to Israel, Scholz met Jordan’s King Abdullah II in the Jordanian seaside resort of Aqaba. There he warned even more clearly about the ground offensive in Rafah: “It is very clear that we now have to do everything we can to ensure that the situation does not become even worse than it is,” said the SPD politician. “I believe that a large number of victims in such an offensive would make any peaceful development very difficult. Many in Israel also know that.”
Immediately before his meeting with Scholz, Netanyahu made it clear that he was sticking to a military operation in Rafah and was firmly opposed to an end to the Gaza war before all Israeli goals had been achieved. “If we end the war now before its goals are achieved, it means that Israel has lost the war,” said the head of government. This will not be allowed.
Also meetings with relatives of hostages
In addition to Netanyahu, Scholz also spoke to President Izchak Herzog, Minister Benny Gantz and relatives of hostages in Jerusalem. It is believed that around 100 of them are still alive.
Scholz traveled to Israel for the first time ten days after the Hamas attack to assure the country of German solidarity. “The security of Israel and its citizens is German reasons of state,” he said at the time. “Our responsibility arising from the Holocaust makes it our task to stand up for the existence and security of the State of Israel.”
Scholz’s warnings to Israel are becoming increasingly clear
In contrast to other allies, Scholz has remained very reserved in criticizing the Israeli military operation against Hamas due to German reasons of state. This is being viewed critically in the Arab world. However, Scholz’s warnings have become clearer step by step.
With a view to a planned resumption of indirect negotiations on a provisional ceasefire, Scholz said in Jordan: “It is very clear to me that it is now also a matter of concretizing the possibility, which is evident in the existing talks, of a longer ceasefire keeps coming.”
Germany is taking part in the airlift for Gaza
While Scholz met the Jordanian king in Aqaba, the air force was preparing further aid flights almost 400 kilometers away at the “King Abdullah Airbase” near the capital Amman. Germany is thus participating in the Jordanian initiative for an airlift to the Gaza Strip. After the first delivery of four tons of food – including rice and flour – was parachuted from a transport plane over the north of the Palestinian territory on Saturday, the second relief flight took place on Sunday. Several other countries also had transport aircraft in use.
