German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Tuesday warned Israel against resolving the conflict with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia at the expense of civilians in Lebanon.
Lebanon must “not become a theatre of war,” Wadephul insisted during a joint press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Berlin.
It is unacceptable for the younger generation in Israel’s neighbouring country to grow up “amidst the ruins of their parents’ homes,” Wadephul said, adding that this wouldn’t make Israel “any safer either.”
At the same time, he condemned attacks on Israel by the militant Hezbollah “in the strongest possible terms” and called on the Lebanese government, which is not itself a party to the conflict, to take decisive action against the militia.
“It is our conviction that the key to stabilizing Lebanon lies in strengthening the Lebanese state,” Wadephul said.
An agreement is needed to protect civilians in both states, Wadephul continued. “The first direct Lebanese-Israeli talks in decades give cause for hope,” he emphasized.
Sa’ar stressed that Israel is serious about negotiations with Lebanon. At the same time, he said that people in northern Israel were living in an “unbearable reality” in the face of Hezbollah’s attacks.
The Israeli foreign minister also made it clear once again that Israel harbours no territorial ambitions in Lebanon. Israel’s presence in southern Lebanon serves solely to protect Israeli citizens, he said.
Israel has established what it calls a security zone in southern Lebanon, described by Lebanese leadership as an occupation of its national territory. Despite a ceasefire formally in force, mutual attacks between the Israeli army and Hezbollah continue.
Commenting on the situation in the Gaza Strip, Wadephul said that humanitarian supplies must be improved as a matter of urgency. It is necessary, for instance, for Israel to lift import restrictions on supplies for humanitarian aid workers, he said.
Israel says that it restricts the delivery of goods into the coastal area that could also be used to build weapons. A ceasefire between Israel and the extremist organization Hamas has been in place for more than six months.
“The stabilization of Gaza also serves Israel’s security,” Wadephul stressed. The situation in the Palestinian territory, which was extensively destroyed during the war, must “not be lost sight of amid the conflict in Iran.” At the same time, he insisted on the disarmament of Hamas agreed in the US-led peace plan – a move that is rejected by the group.
Johann Wadephul, German Foreign Minister, speaks during a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar (not pictured), after their meeting in Berlin. (zu dpa: «German top diplomat warns Lebanon must not become a theatre of war») Michael Kappeler/dpa