German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a brief visit to Israel Wednesday, one month before Berlin assumes the European Union presidency, a role which gives it great influence in guiding EU policy.
Netanyahu told the visiting minister that any realistic plan to end the Israeli Palestinian conflict, "must recognize the reality of Israeli settlement in the territory and not foster the illusion of uprooting people from their homes”, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
The statement made no direct mention of annexation. But it said Netanyahu spoke of ensuring Israel’s “vital interests”, such as maintaining “full security control” over the West Bank
Maas, speaking in a press conference in Jerusalem, expressed serious concern to Israel about its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, but he stopped short of threatening sanctions.
Israel’s new unity government next month intends to begin discussing extending sovereignty to its settlements in territory that Palestinians claim for an envisaged independent state.
The plan has been criticized by Arab and European powers as likely to finish off long-moribund efforts to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel says annexation would be in keeping with a unilateral plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in January.
“I repeated here today the German position as well as our serious concerns as a special friend of Israel of the possible consequences of such a step,” Maas told reporters alongside his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi.
Mass also met with Defense Minister Benny Gantz who said Germany has a vital role in peace efforts in the Middle East and thanked the visiting dignitary for his involvement in his government's decision to outlaw the Lebanese based Hezbollah terror group
From Israel, the minister was to travel to Amman, Jordan.
First published: 21:06, 06.10.20