Wadephul in Israel
Germany’s new Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has travelled to Israel for his inaugural visit.
Berlin (dpa/d.de) - At the start of his inaugural visit to Israel, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has met with the families of Israeli hostages (photo) who are being held in the Gaza Strip by the Islamist Palestinian organisation Hamas.
In view of the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip, Wadephul is calling for rapid negotiations on a ceasefire. “The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has become unbearable,” the minister already said before departing for Israel, explaining that it was now imperative to have “serious discussions for a ceasefire with the aim of freeing all hostages and ensuring that supplies reach the population of Gaza”.
Wadephul will be meeting Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar today. During the talks, he plans to inquire about “the strategic objective of the fighting that has intensified again since March”. He believes that the prospect of a two-state solution offers the best chance of peace and security for Israel and its neighbours.
Wadephul will first be visiting the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance centre in Jerusalem. He will lay down a wreath there in memory of the six million Jews murdered by Nazi Germany.
Wadephul’s trip to Israel comes amid the festivities to mark the 60th anniversary ofdiplomatic relations between the two countries. Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to arrive in Berlin for an official visit today. He will travel back to Israel together with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 13 May.