The foreign ministers of Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia will arrive in Israel on Thursday in a show of solidarity and support of the Jewish state
The three diplomats were invited by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. Their visit to Israel comes off the heels of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias's visit to the country earlier in the week.
4 View gallery
Archive photo of Foreign Affairs Minister Gabi Ashkenazi with his German counterpart Heiko Maas in Berlin
(Photo: AFP)
Additional visits by other foreign dignitaries are expected next week, as part of Israel’s effort to strengthen its legitimacy during the current round of fighting against Gaza’s terrorist factions.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass is expected to land at Ben Gurion Airport Thursday morning, followed by the Czech Republic's Jakub Kulhánek, and Slovakia's Ivan Korčok.
4 View gallery
Civilians running for shelter as rocket sirens blare in the southern city of Ashkelon
(Photo: Reuters)
The diplomats will meet with Ashkenazi and will travel to a crash site of a Hamas rocket to witness the destruction first hand. Later, they are expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Maas himself is also slated to meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah.
"The foreign ministers' visit to Israel is a demonstration of solidarity and support for Israel's right to defend itself following Hamas’ rocket fire,” Ashkenazi said.
4 View gallery
Iron Dome interceptors (left) set off in southern Israel's skies as rockets are fired from northern Gaza
(Photo: AFP)
“This is further proof of the broad support and legitimacy Israel receives from foreign countries during these days of fighting. This is thanks to the diplomatic and political effort led by Israeli ambassadors around the world and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.”
In a speech to the German parliament Tuesday, Maas said that Hamas was the one that deliberately led to the escalation in the Middle East with dire consequences. Maas also ruled out talking to Hamas.
“After the events of recent days there is no reason to talk directly with Hamas,” said Maas. “Those are terrorist attacks that are being carried out by Hamas in Israel and which in my view completely rule out talking without intermediaries, directly to Hamas.”
Maas also proposed a three-stage plan to end the conflict: a ceasefire, an immediate halt to rocket fire and an armistice agreement, and the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The top German diplomat voiced his support for a 40 million euros ($48.86 million) aid plan, meant to ramp up humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.
He also condemned anti-Semitic attacks on German soil and said his country takes the issue seriously.