German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday in Jerusalem. Below is a brief report on the press conference following the meeting.

Many thanks to Gary Fouse for translating this article from Jüdische Allgemeine:

Netanyahu and Scholz: Hamas must be eliminated

“We have no future if Hamas, which is determined to carry out genocide against us, remains intact,” stressed the Israeli head of government.

March 17, 2024

After a conversation with the German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu explains that he and his German guest are in agreement that “Hamas must be eliminated”.

There will be no peace as long as the Islamist terror organization remains in the Gaza Strip, said Netanyahu on Sunday in a joint press conference with Scholz in Jerusalem. “We have no future if Hamas, which is determined to carry out genocide against us, remains intact.”

On Friday Netanyahu approved a ground offensive in the town of Rafah on the Egyptian border. Before a planned offensive in Rafah, the civilian population will be brought to safety, Netanyahu said. Israel is also undertaking every effort to enable aid deliveries for the people in the Gaza Strip, “over land, over sea, and from the air.”

At a meeting with Netanyahu, Scholz emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself against the terror of Islamist Hamas. At the same time, he expressed doubts as to the military action of Israel in the Gaza war in view of the high victim toll. He urged Netanyahu to rethink his strategy in the Gaza Strip.

In the five months or so of the war, the number of civilian victims has reached an extremely high level. “Many would say too high,” said Scholz. “No matter how important the goal may be, can such a terribly high cost be justified, or are there other ways to reach this goal?” Scholz asked.

Scholz arrived in Israel for a visit on the same day, the second since the start of the Gaza war on October 7.

In addition to Netanyahu, Scholz wanted to meet with President Isaac Herzog and Minister Benny Gantz, as well as relatives of hostages. It is believed that there are still about 100 of them alive. He previously met with Jordanian King Abdullah II in the Jordanian seaside resort of Akaba.

The federal Chancellor first traveled to Israel ten days after the Hamas attack to assure the nation of German solidarity. “Israel’s security and that of its citizens is a German state interest,” he said then. “Our responsibility growing out of the Holocaust makes it our duty to stand for the security and the existence of Israel.”

Also for German reasons of state, Scholz has been very reserved in his criticism of Israeli military operations against Hamas, in contrast to other allies. That has met with criticism in the Arab world. Step by step, however, Scholz’s warnings have become clearer.

With a view to a planned resumption of indirect talks over a provisional ceasefire, Scholz said in Jordan: “For me, it is very clear that it is now a matter of making concrete the possibility to come to a longer-lasting ceasefire, which is shown in the existing talks.”