German foreign minister warns Israel to reject 'expulsion and annexation policies'

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday urged Israel to make it clear that it opposes expulsion and annexation policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

According to the German daily Bild, Wadephul made the remarks during his two-day official visit to Israel, which also includes a stop in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

On Thursday evening, the German official met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Isaac Herzog.

"We also need clarity from Israel that it is not pursuing a policy of expulsion or a policy of active annexation," Wadephul told reporters in Jerusalem.

He described the situation in the Gaza Strip as a "humanitarian catastrophe that exceeds all imagining."

The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 60,200 Palestinians. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to food shortages.

On Monday, Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of the territory’s healthcare system.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.