German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends a press conference with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (not pictured) at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/ File Photo
In a critical appraisal of Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied West Bank, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz minced no words during his visit to Nuthetal in Brandenburg state on Saturday. Firmly advocating for a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, Scholz underscored, “We don’t want any new settlements in the West Bank, no violence by settlers against the Palestinians in the West Bank.”
For Scholz, the paramount resolution for the enduring Israeli-Palestinian predicament lies in the two-state paradigm. Unyielding in his stance, he asserted, “If some in Israeli politics distance themselves from this, we will not support them.”
Moreover, the Chancellor underscored the pivotal role of German humanitarian aid in the Palestinian territories. While standing by Israel, Scholz spotlighted Germany’s significant contribution as the largest donor of humanitarian aid for the Palestinians, alongside the United States. “It is not the states in the neighbourhood, although some are very rich,” he remarked, alluding to affluent Arab nations. “We are the ones who make it possible for schools and hospitals to be run there,” he added, underscoring Germany’s unwavering commitment to supporting essential services in Palestinian territories.
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