Tel Aviv [Israel], December 7 (ANI): German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed Germany’s support for the creation of a Palestinian state during his first official visit to Israel, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained strong opposition, Al Jazeera reported.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Jerusalem on Sunday, the leaders outlined sharply differing views on the future of Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Merz emphasized that Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies, sought a new Middle East recognising a Palestinian state alongside Israel and called for negotiations on its creation to begin immediately.
Netanyahu dismissed the proposal, arguing that the Israeli public largely opposes a two-state solution and highlighting that the annexation of the occupied West Bank remains an ongoing internal debate. “The purpose of a Palestinian state is to destroy the Jewish state,” he stated, without elaborating. Netanyahu also noted that the first stage of former US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan was “nearly complete” and said he would meet Trump later in December to discuss the next phase.
Prior to meeting Netanyahu, Merz visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, reiterating Germany’s historic commitment to Israel’s security. He underscored that Germany “must stand up for the existence and security of Israel,” acknowledging the nation’s “enduring historical responsibility” for the Holocaust.
Merz arrived in Israel on Saturday and was welcomed at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who described him as “a friend of Israel.” He subsequently met President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem as part of a tightly packed schedule focused on the region’s evolving political landscape. (ANI)
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