Middle East Monitor / July 20, 2024
The German government expressed its deep concern about the Israeli Parliament’s refusal to establish a Palestinian state.
A German Foreign Ministry spokesperson shared on Friday in Berlin: “The decision contradicts many UN Security Council resolutions. Israel is, therefore, distancing itself from the overwhelming majority of the international community and isolating itself. We all know that isolation is the enemy of any security.”
The spokesperson said that although the resolution is non-binding, it: “Poses a setback to our efforts to achieve a balance between the legitimate security interests of Israel and the Palestinians’ right to self-determination,” adding that the German government believes that there is no alternative to a two-state solution that also protects the rights of the Palestinians. He noted that Israel’s long-term security can only be guaranteed through a two-state solution, adding: “Just like the Israelis, the Palestinians also have the right to live in security and dignity through their ability to determine their fate in a state of their own.”
The majority of Knesset members voted on Thursday in favour of a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. According to the data, among those voting in favour of the resolution are the right-wing religious coalition parties led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposition party led by Benny Gantz. According to opinion polls, the opposition party is expected to be the strongest in the event of early elections and is expected to win the majority of the seats in Parliament.
Until about six weeks ago, Gantz was a member of the now-defunct war cabinet alongside other moderate politicians.
The resolution stated: “A Palestinian state would pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilise the region. It will only be a matter of a short time until Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and turns it into a radical Islamic terror base, working in coordination with the Iranian-led axis to eliminate the State of Israel.”
