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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (l) and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz give a joint press statement in Jerusalem.
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
The Chancellor has so far refrained from harshly criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
On his second trip to the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war, he initially left it with a clear warning.
Jerusalem - After a conversation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explains that he 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, Netanyahu said at a joint press conference with Scholz in Jerusalem.
“We have no future if Hamas, which is determined to commit genocide against us, remains intact.”
Netanyahu says the civilian population will be brought to safety ahead of a planned offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Israel is also making every effort to facilitate the delivery of aid to the people of Gaza “by land, sea and air.”
Scholz arrived in Israel on the same day for a visit, the second since the Gaza war began on October 7th.
He had previously met Jordan's King Abdullah II in the Jordanian seaside resort of Aqaba.
Scholz calls for a ceasefire in Aqaba
There the Chancellor urgently called for a ceasefire.
“It is very clear that we must now do everything we can to ensure that the situation does not become even worse than it is,” said the SPD politician, referring to a possible Israeli ground offensive in the south of the Gaza Strip.
“I believe that a large number of victims in such an offensive would make any peaceful development very difficult.
Many people in Israel also know that.”
Jordan's King Abdullah II called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza war.
After his meeting with Scholz, the Jordanian royal court reported that the two discussed urgent measures that the international community must take to achieve this goal.
The Jordanian King King Abdullah II (Mr.) receives Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Aqaba.
© Sandra Steins/BPA/dpa
According to the information, King Abdullah II also campaigned for the civilian population in the contested Palestinian territory to be better protected.
The king also warned against stopping payments to the UN refugee agency UNRWA.
This also has “dangerous effects” on Jordan.
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Also meetings with relatives of hostages
Scholz also wants to speak to President Izchak Herzog, Minister Benny Gantz and relatives of hostages in Israel.
The Gaza war was triggered by a terrorist attack on Israel by the Palestinian Hamas on October 7th.
Israel wants to destroy Hamas and free the hostages from the control of the terrorist organization.
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.”
German reason of state: Scholz holds back from criticism
In contrast to other allies, Scholz has remained very reserved in criticizing the Israeli military operation against Hamas, in which, according to the Hamas health authority, tens of thousands of people were killed. This is also 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.
The extent to which he is prepared to put Netanyahu under pressure during the talks in Jerusalem remains unclear before the meeting.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz makes a press statement after a meeting with the Jordanian King Abdullah before traveling to Israel.
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
The Israeli Prime Minister approved the controversial ground offensive in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip on Friday.
According to estimates, 1.5 million Palestinians are currently seeking protection from the fighting in the other areas of the Gaza Strip in very small spaces and under miserable conditions.
Aid organizations warn of many more civilian deaths.
Scholz warns of large numbers of victims
Scholz warned that “many people who fled to Rafah in Gaza are now in immediate danger” from military action.
“That's why I, like the American president, made it very clear that we think that this is something where we have to do everything very, very, very carefully to avoid further large numbers of victims.”
Chancellor Scholz is welcomed at Tel Aviv Airport by German Ambassador Steffen Seibert.
On the right is the Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor.
© Kay Nietfeld/dpa
With a view to a planned resumption of indirect negotiations on a provisional ceasefire, Scholz said: “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 ceasefire that lasts longer, get."
According to local media reports, Israel's war cabinet wants to meet with Netanyahu on Sunday to decide whether to send a delegation to Qatar.
There, the recently stalled talks on a ceasefire are set to continue in the capital Doha after Hamas presented a new proposal to the mediators.
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.
Again protests in Israel against Netanyahu government
A day before the Chancellor's visit, thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities for the release of hostages held by Hamas and against the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
In some places, people set small fires, set off smoke bombs and chanted for the hostages to be released.
The police used water cannons to break up individual gatherings.
Relatives of the hostages called for a new deal for their release and called on the government to act quickly.
“You’re out of time, we’re out of time.
Do something now, we need you!” said a relative at a rally.
dpa