Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier rejected Amnesty International’s demand not to meet Israel‘s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I think the demand is very simple,” said Steinmeier. “It would also be the easiest for politicians to avoid difficult conversations. That was never my attitude. And it is not particularly in relation to Israel. ”
The human rights organization had requested: “No meeting with Netanyahu, which is held responsible for war crimes and is sought by the International Criminal Court with an arrest warrant.”
Steinmeier insisted on a peaceful solution to the Gaza War. He had emphasized the need to “show political perspectives to terminate the war, especially in dialogue with the Arab countries,” said a spokeswoman after the conversation in Jerusalem. Steinmeier also emphasized the urgency to “ensure the access of the population in Gaza to humanitarian aid.”
Shortly after the meeting with Netanyahu, there was rocket alarm in Israel. The Federal President, his wife Elke Büdenbender and parts of the delegation, were brought to the hotel air protection room in which they spend the night. There they spent about a quarter of an hour.
According to Israeli information, the reason for the alarm was a rocket fired from Yemen. According to her, the Israeli army caught her.
Steinmeier visit to Israel began at noon at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, where Israel’s President Isaac Herzog welcomed him with military honor. Duke had been in Berlin the day before and flew ahead in the morning. With the double visit, both states appreciate the admission of diplomatic relationships 60 years ago.
The anniversary is overshadowed by the Gaza War. Steinmeier had already called on Israel at the meeting with Duke in Berlin to immediately let relief supplies for the needy population in the Gaza Strip and to comply with humanitarian international law during warfare.
“The enemies of Israel do not stick to the rules, but we have to do it,” Steinmeier said in his table speech at a state banquet in the evening. At the same time, he referred to the right of Israel for self -defense.
This Wednesday, Steinmeier wants to visit the Kibbutz Beeri, which is located directly on the border with the Gaza Strip. Hamas almost completely destroyed him in her attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Steinmeier visited him with Duke a few weeks later. dpa
