German Foreign Minister assures that the annexation of the West Bank is not compatible with international law

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said that Israel's annexation of the West Bank is not compatible with international law during a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday following a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Gaby Ashkenazi, to discuss the plans of the new Middle Eastern country's executive. "Annexation is not possible, it is not compatible with international law. We still support the two-state solution and to move in that direction we need to revive the peace dialogue," said the German minister, who, in response to questions from journalists, avoided clarifying whether there would be consequences if the accession plans were implemented. 

Maas discussed Germany's position and his country's concerns with his counterpart "as a special friend of Israel" and thanked his government for its willingness to cooperate and hold talks. "We are at a point where we need to give dialogue a chance," said the German minister, who offered Ashkenazi his cooperation and that of the other European partners.

The annexation plan has been severely criticized by some of Israel's closest allies, including Germany, which claims that unilaterally re-mapping the Middle East would destroy any hope of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Maas had indicated that Germany and the European Union were seeking clarity on the Israeli plan, but had pointed out that Europe considered annexation to be incompatible with international law. Berlin "has not placed any conditions" on Israel, and the foreign minister has explained that he has traveled to Israel to "learn about the plans of this new government" and offer to discuss the issue, especially in his capacity as the next president of the UN Security Council and the European Union. "We are here as good friends of Israel, but also because of our role in the Council, I want to inform myself in depth and I have shown our position very clearly," said the German politician. "We think that not believing in the two-state solution is the wrong way to go," he said.

The EU has also made it clear that it opposes annexation and considers it illegal under international law. For now, however, diplomats are trying to engage in dialogue with Israeli officials and convey the message that unilateral annexation would have negative repercussions on their relations with the rest of the world.

The Minister also referred to the historic bilateral relations between the two countries, which had reached their 55th anniversary, and did not shy away from talking about the Holocaust and the importance of preserving its memory, now that the survivors were disappearing. In this sense, his government has signed this Wednesday an agreement of financing and cooperation with the Museum of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem, until the next 2031. Ashkenazi, for his part, has also pointed out the importance of the relations between the two countries and has urged that they continue to be deepened. He also thanked Germany for having included the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah in the list of terrorist organizations, and asked that other European countries do the same.
 

With respect to the annexation, the Israeli minister assured that for the moment there are no delimitations and that the American proposal contemplates "a conceptual map" that shows "the concept of the area" and that now has to be translated into the terrain "looking at every house, every village". Regarding the German position against the annexation, he has assured that he has "listened" to his words and has denied that both have dealt with possible repercussions or even European sanctions for the annexation. "I believe that Germany will first wait for the Israeli decision and will not take any steps before the decision. We will do this very responsibly, maintaining Israeli interests and peace treaties and dialogue with the United States and hopefully with our neighbours. Israel is a Jewish and democratic state," he said.

Maas was more specific, trying to put aside the idea of possible sanctions, saying that Germany wants to "deepen collaboration to develop friendship with Israel and will definitely do what is necessary to maintain the historic partnership and not reduce it in any way".