Latest news with #Wadephul
DW
2 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Middle East: Israel risks isolation, German FM says – DW – 07/31/2025
The German foreign minister called the situation in Gaza "beyond imagination" and said Israel needs to show it is not pursuing a policy of expulsion and annexation. Meanwhile, a US special envoy prepares to visit Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Thursday that Israel was in danger of becoming isolated, and Berlin was trying to prevent that from happening. "Israel must always find friends, partners and supporters in the international community," he said in Jerusalem. "And that is currently in danger in this situation. If there is one country that has a responsibility to prevent this, then in my view it is Germany." Wadephul also called the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip "beyond imagination" and said Israel needed to show it was not enacting a policy of "expulsion" and "annexation" in the Palestinian territory. He also said Israel had a responsibility to allow humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza "quickly, safely and sufficiently to avert mass deaths." Wadephul's comments came after arriving in Israel as part of a two-day trip that will also see him visit the Israeli-occupied West Bank. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff will inspect an aid distribution center in Gaza on Friday, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. "Tomorrow, special envoy Witkoff and Ambassador Huckabee will be traveling into Gaza to inspect the current distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food, and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground," she told reporters in a Thursday briefing. While international politicians often travel to Israel and the occupied West Bank, trips to Gaza are far less frequent. The visit comes after the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said 111 Palestinians had died in the territory over the past 24 hours, including 91 people who were seeking aid. Israel said Thursday it had conducted strikes in Lebanon on key Hezbollah infrastructure, where the militant group manufactured and stored missiles. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said targets included "Hezbollah's biggest precision missile manufacturing site," and the military said it struck "infrastructure that was used for producing and storing strategic weapons" in the Bekaa Valley in the east of the country, and the south. "Any attempt by the terrorist organization to recover, reestablish or threaten will be met with relentless intensity," Katz added. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency also reported strikes in the Bekaa Valley and the south of the country. Both Katz and the Israeli military said Hezbollah was trying to rebuild its military infrastructure and demanded that the Lebanese army move to disarm the militant group. Earlier on Thursday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that his country was determined to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah. The United States and more than a dozen of its allies on Thursday said Iran has been trying to murder and kidnap dissidents, journalists and officials in Western countries. "We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty," the governments of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US said in a statement. The countries said such activities were being carried out in collaboration with international criminal networks. London has said it has halted more than 20 Iranian-linked plots to kidnap or kill individuals in Britain, including UK nationals and others Iran views as threats since early 2022. In October, the Reuters news agency reported that Iran was behind a wave of efforts to assassinate and abduct individuals across Europe and the United States. In March, the UK government said it wanted the Iranian state to register all political influence activities, citing increasingly aggressive behavior by Iran's intelligence services. In a post on the social media platform X, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has accused the German government of supporting Nazism. Without providing further context, the right-wing firebrand posted, "80 years after the Holocaust, and Germany is returning to support Nazism." The post was published as German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul landed in Israel for talks with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Wadephul said his trip would focus on ensuring that more humanitarian aid reaches people in the Gaza Strip as well as to further iterate German support for a two-state solution to the ongoing conflict. Wadephul has said recognition of a Palestinian state would be the logical end of the process. A key member of Netanyahu's coalition government, Ben-Gvir has said he would leave the government if Israel stops the war in Gaza and has come out in favor of the displacement of Palestinians and expanding Israeli settlements to Gaza. The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands have imposed sanctions against Ben-Gvir. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video US special envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli media reported the meeting would focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israeli hostages held by militants, and relations with Iran. The Ynet news portal reported that Witkoff may visit the Gaza Strip, saying he would like to personally look at the work being done by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). There have been reports of Palestinians being killed while lining up for food at GHF distribution sites. The GHF's role in distributing aid has been criticized by several aid organizations, with Amnesty International describing its operations as "illegitimate and inhumane." The United States is imposing sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The State Department said in a statement that the groups are undermining peace efforts. "It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace," the State Department said. The statement did not specify who was being targeted or no longer able to receive visas to travel to the United States. The State Department wrote that the Palestinian Authority is "taking actions to internationalize its conflict with Israel such as through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ)," and accused them of "continuing to support terrorism." The Palestinian Authority is the governing body that has overseen parts of Israeli-occupied West Bank since the 1990s. An open letter signed by over 200 actors, musicians and media personalities has urged German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to take action in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They acknowledge Merz's increased criticism of the Israeli government in recent days, but urge him to go further, writing "words alone won't save lives." The letter, organized by the group Avaaz, addresses children suffering in Gaza, saying: "More than 17,000 have already been killed. Hundreds of thousands are injured, traumatized, displaced and starving." The signatories urged Merz to stop arms exports to Israel, to support the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to demand an immediate ceasefire and access for humanitarian aid. "We too condemn the horrific crimes committed by Hamas in the strongest possible terms. But no crime justifies collectively punishing millions of innocent people in the most brutal manner," the letter states. Actors Daniel Brühl and Heike Makatsch and singers Shirin David and Zartmann are among the stars who have signed the letter. "These steps are deeply in line with European values and would make it unmistakably clear to the Israeli government that even its closest allies can no longer accept the suffering, and that words are not enough," the letter said. Germany approved €326.5 million ($374 million) in arms exports to Israel in 2023, a sharp increase from previous years. In 2024, approvals fell by half amid mounting legal and political pressure. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has departed for Israel and the Palestinian territories to hold talks on the worsening situation in Gaza. In a statement ahead of his departure, Wadephul said the trip aims to address the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the ongoing threat from Hamas and growing international pressure on Israel. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Hamas continues to hold hostages, including German citizens, and is still refusing a ceasefire," Wadephul said. "At the same time, the suffering and deaths in Gaza have reached an unimaginable scale." The German top diplomat called for additional humanitarian aid for people in Gaza. "Only by land can sufficient quantities of aid reach the people," Wadephul said. "I, therefore, urge the Israeli government to allow the UN and international aid organizations safe access and, above all, safe and effective distribution." Wadephul also pointed to increasing international isolation for Israel, citing the recent UN conference in New York and noting that more countries, including some in Europe, are considering recognizing a Palestinian state without waiting for a negotiated peace process. He said the region is at a crossroads, and that Germany, because of its historic responsibility toward Israel, cannot remain passive. As famine-like conditions take hold in Gaza, human rights organizations have criticized plans by Germany and other countries to drop aid in via airlifts. They say this is symbolic politics and inefficient. Read the full story on the criticism levelled at plans to airdrop aid into Gaza. A German delegation, led by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is headed to Israel and the occupied West Bank on Thursday for talks with representatives from the Israeli government and the UN. The two-day trip is expected to focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with Wadephul saying he would push for a ceasefire. "The main goal is definitely a ceasefire," Wadephul told Politico. As for humanitarian aid, he said "the number of victims in the Gaza Strip is too high. We need to ease the suffering of the people there." The visit comes amid increasing international pressure on Israel to end its war, with more and more Western countries pledging to recognize Palestinian statehood. Germany, however, has said it has no short-term plans to recognize a Palestinian state, despite being committed to a two-state solution. Siemtje Möller, the deputy parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), is also part of the delegation. The SPD governs in coalition with Wadephul's center-right CDU. In an interview with public broadcaster ARD on Thursday morning, Möller called for "real pressure" to end the suffering in Gaza. She also suggested that Germany could consider recognizing a Palestinian state sooner than expected. "The recognition of a Palestinian state is not a taboo and doesn't necessarily have to come at the end of a [two-state] process," she said before the flight. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to leave for Israel as the US looks to address the worsening starvation crisis in Gaza, according to US media reports. The trip comes in the midst of stalled truce talks between Israel and Palestine's Hamas militant group. Witkoff said last week that the US had withdrawn its negotiating delegation from Qatar over what he called a lack of willingness by Hamas to reach a ceasefire. Israel has also pulled its team from the talks. The US, Qatar and Egypt are mediating between Israel and Hamas, who do not talk directly. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video US President Donald Trump has threatened Canada with repercussions for negotiations on a trade deal after it announced its plans to recognize Palestinian statehood. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them," Trump said on Truth Social, his social media platform. Trump's statement is set to intensify a trade war between US and Canada, just a day ahead of the August 1 deadline to seal a tariff agreement. If the two countries fail to strike an agreement by the deadline, Canada faces a 35% tariff on goods which are not covered under the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact. On Wednesday, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the possibility of recognizing a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, scheduled for September. The UK and France have also said over the last week that they would support statehood for Palestine. Canada has joined Britain and France to say that it "intends" to recognize a Palestinian state in September. However, Canada's decision has resulted in threats from US President Donald Trump as a deadline for a trade agreement between the two countries nears. Trump has said that Canada's support for Palestinian statehood would make it difficult for the US to zero-in on an agreement with Canada. Canada will be hit with a 35% tariff on its exports to the US if a deal cannot be reached, the president said. Also, US special envoy Steve Witkoff will reportedly travel to Israel on Thursday in light of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Stay up-to-date with this blog as we bring you the latest reports, analyses, and explainers on the situation in Gaza.
Leaders
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Leaders
Germany Says Israel Faces Increasing Diplomatic Isolation over Gaza War
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul stated on Thursday that Israel is facing growing diplomatic isolation over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and mounting international support for Palestinian statehood, according to Al Arabiya. Official Visit to Israel Wadephul's remarks come before his visit to Israel to meet his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar and President Isaac Herzog, as well as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also noted that that the recent UN conference on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — boycotted by the US and Israel — showed that 'Israel is finding itself increasingly in the minority.' Plans to Recognize Palestinian State Several European countries have recently announced their plans to recognize a state of Palestine without previous negotiations. However, Germany, one of Israel's staunchest diplomatic allies, is not planning to recognize the Palestinian state in the short term, according to Reuters. A German government spokesperson said on Friday that his country's top priority now is to make 'long-overdue progress' towards a two-state solution. Germany's position on Israel in the context of the Gaza war is deeply shaped by its sense of special responsibility to atone for the Holocaust, during which six million European Jews were killed under Hitler's regime between 1933 and 1945. Wadephul also repeated Berlin's position that 'the recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end of the process' of negotiations. However, he sharpened his tone slightly by insisting that 'this process must begin now' and that 'Germany will also be forced to react to unilateral moves.' Related Topics: Saudi Arabia Expands Gaza Relief Effort with 7 New Aid Trucks Arab Nations Join Call for Hamas to Disarm, End Gaza Rule Spain to Airdrop 12 Tons of Food into Gaza, Joining Regional Relief Effort Short link : Post Views: 16
RTHK
6 hours ago
- Politics
- RTHK
Israel isolated diplomatically over Gaza: Germany
Israel isolated diplomatically over Gaza: Germany Germany's foreign minister says Gaza's two-million-plus inhabitants now face an unfolding famine, demanding that Israel enable more aid into the territory. Photo: Reuters Germany's foreign minister said on Thursday that Israel was increasingly isolated diplomatically over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the push by some countries to recognise a Palestinian state. Johann Wadephul said in a statement before heading to Israel that the recent UN conference on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which was boycotted by the US and Israel, showed that "Israel is finding itself increasingly in the minority". Germany is one of Israel's staunchest diplomatic allies but Wadephul noted that "in view of the open threats of annexation by some in the Israeli government, a growing number of European countries are ready to recognise a state of Palestine without previous negotiations". Last week more than 70 Israeli lawmakers, including some in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, passed a motion urging the government to impose sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. Wadephul repeated Berlin's position that "the recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end of the process" of negotiations. He did however sharpen his tone slightly by insisting that "this process must begin now" and that "Germany will also be forced to react to unilateral moves". On Gaza, whose two-million-plus inhabitants now face an unfolding famine, Wadephul demanded that Israel enable more aid into the territory "immediately, comprehensively and in a lasting way" to alleviate the "dramatic" situation there. Wadephul is expected to meet his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar and President Isaac Herzog on the trip to Israel, as well as Netanyahu. (AFP)
L'Orient-Le Jour
7 hours ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Germany says Israel 'increasingly in the minority' on Palestinian issue
Germany's foreign minister said Thursday that Israel was increasingly isolated diplomatically over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the push by some countries to recognise a Palestinian state. Johann Wadephul said in a statement before heading to Israel that the recent U.N. conference on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — boycotted by the US and Israel — showed that "Israel is finding itself increasingly in the minority". Germany is one of Israel's staunchest diplomatic allies but Wadephul noted that "in view of the open threats of annexation by some in the Israeli government, a growing number of European countries are ready to recognise a state of Palestine without previous negotiations". Last week more than 70 Israeli lawmakers, including some in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, passed a motion urging the government to impose sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. Wadephul repeated Berlin's position that "the recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end of the process" of negotiations. He did however sharpen his tone slightly by insisting that "this process must begin now" and that "Germany will also be forced to react to unilateral moves". On Gaza, whose two-million-plus inhabitants now face an unfolding famine, Wadephul demanded that Israel enable more aid into the territory "immediately, comprehensively and in a lasting way" to alleviate the "dramatic" situation there. He said that airlifts — which Germany will take part in in coming days — were one way of delivering aid but that they "cannot replace" deliveries by land. "Only overland can aid reach the population in the necessary quantities," he said, adding that Germany was working to re-establish the land route "urgently". Wadephul is expected to meet his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar and President Isaac Herzog on the trip to Israel, as well as Netanyahu. He will also travel to the West Bank to meet Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas.
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Germany to respond to any unilateral Israeli moves on Palestinian territories, minister warns
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: German Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul attends a press conference with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot (not seen) after a meeting at the Quai d'Orsay, France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Paris, France, July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo BERLIN - Germany's foreign minister said on Thursday recognition of a Palestinian state should come at the end of talks on a two-state solution but Berlin would respond to any unilateral actions, after citing "annexation threats" by some Israeli ministers. Johann Wadephul issued the statement before heading off to Israel and the Palestinian territories on a trip Berlin has billed as a fact-finding mission amid heightened alarm over starvation in Gaza. His remarks marked Germany's strongest warning yet to Israel as Western nations intensify efforts to exert pressure. In recent weeks, Britain, Canada and France have all signaled their readiness to recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory at the United Nations General Assembly this September. However, critics argue that Germany's response remains overly cautious, shaped by an enduring sense of historical guilt for the Holocaust and reinforced by pro-Israel sentiment in influential media circles, weakening the West's collective ability to apply meaningful pressure on Israel. In his statement, Wadephul reiterated Germany's stance that a sustainable resolution to the Gaza war can only be achieved through a negotiated two-state solution - a Palestinian state co-existing in peace alongside Israel. "In light of open annexation threats from parts of the Israeli government, a growing number of countries - including many in Europe - are now prepared to recognise a Palestinian state even without a prior negotiation process. The region and the Middle East peace process are therefore at a crossroads," Wadephul said. "That process must begin now. Should unilateral steps be taken, Germany too will be compelled to respond." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights Singapore 5 foreign women suspected of trafficking 27kg of cocaine nabbed in Changi Airport Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO Singapore Fallen tree branch damages two Yishun flats, showering one home owner in shattered glass Singapore Man accused of raping woman who hired him to fix lights in her flat claims she made first move Singapore Jail for ex-employee of agency under MOH who corruptly obtained $18k trip from 2 men Singapore ICJ's climate ruling may spur scrutiny of S'pore carbon tax, firms' climate action plans Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition includes two far-right parties that call for the outright conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of Jewish settlements there. Two senior government ministers also voiced support on Thursday for annexing the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The death toll from almost two years of war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza surpassed 60,000 this week. A growing number of civilians are dying from starvation and malnutrition, Gaza health authorities say, with images of starving children shocking the world and intensifying criticism of Israel over its curbs on aid into the enclave. Germany, together with the United States, has long remained one of Israel's staunchest allies and largest arms suppliers. German officials say their approach to Israel is governed by a special responsibility, known as the "Staatsraison", arising from the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust. They say they can achieve more through diplomatic back channels than public statements. PRO-ISRAEL GERMAN MEDIA The largest media group in Germany, Axel Springer, which owns its best-selling daily Bild as well as other publications like Welt and Politico, includes a specific pro-Israel commitment in its core corporate principles. The clause commits Axel Springer and its employees to a pro-Israel editorial stance. Bild published a story on Thursday, for example, denouncing a "hunger campaign" against Israel and moves by Western countries to raise pressure on the country which it said had prolonged the war in Gaza by emboldening Hamas to leave ceasefire talks. The paper praised Germany for not doing so. Another Bild story on Thursday denounced a "campaign designed to morally destroy Israel". Chancellor Friedrich Merz has long been pro-Israel. In February, he said he would find a way for Netanyahu to visit Germany without being arrested under a warrant by the International Criminal Court. But the tone has shifted in Berlin in recent weeks, in tandem with a shift in public opinion, with a poll released on June 4 showing 63% of Germans saying Israel's military campaign in Gaza has gone too far. Merz said on Monday that steps like suspending the European Union pact governing relations with Israel were on the table now, in order to raise pressure on the country over the "catastrophic" situation in Gaza. The EU's executive body recommended on Monday curbing Israeli access to its flagship research funding programme but the proposal does not yet have enough support to pass, with heavyweight Germany in particular still uncertain. REUTERS
