Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he expects to move to the second phase of the ceasefire plan in Gaza brokered by US President Donald Trump “very soon,” during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“We finished the first part… And very soon we expect to move on to the second phase, which is more difficult,” Netanyahu declared after a high-level meeting with Merz in Jerusalem. The leaders discussed how to end Hamas rule in Gaza.
At the same press conference, Netanyahu revealed for the first time his vision of a “third phase” of the peace plan, which would consist of “deradicalizing” the Gaza Strip. “As I mentioned to the foreign minister, there is a third phase: deradicalizing Gaza, something that was also thought to be impossible, but was achieved in Germany,” said the Israeli prime minister.
Merz's visit to Israel, which began on Saturday, marks his first diplomatic trip since taking office as foreign minister and seeks to consolidate the bilateral relationship after tensions generated by the war in Gaza and the violence of extremist Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
During his stay, Merz visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, where he reaffirmed Germany's support for Israel. “Germany must defend Israel's existence and security. This will forever remain deeply inscribed in the bond that unites us,” the Chancellor declared, emphasizing his country's “historical responsibility” for the extermination of six million Jews during World War II.
However, Merz also stated that Israel “must be held accountable under international law for its military actions” both as a “country at war” and as a “democratic state governed by the rule of law.” The Chancellor acknowledged that the Israeli government’s actions during the war presented Germany “with a dilemma” in light of “the immense suffering endured by the civilian population of Gaza.”
The German leader made his country's position on the West Bank clear, stating that"there can be no annexation measures in the West Bank," whether "formal, political, structural, or otherwise." Merz reiterated that Germany "firmly believes" in the two-state solution and noted that "these negotiations are necessary right now."
Netanyahu also used the opportunity to criticize the International Criminal Court (ICC), explaining that the reason he does not visit Germany is because there is “a corrupt prosecutor,” referring to the British Karim Khan, who “is destroying the reputation” of the institution. Khan ordered the arrest last year of Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the conflict in Gaza.
Merz's visit makes him the first German chancellor and the first leader of a major European country to travel to Israel since the ICC issued the arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
, with particular emphasis on “the field of high technology and artificial intelligence ”, which Netanyahu described as “the future of humanity”.
Before his trip, Merz phoned Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to urge him to implement the “urgently needed reforms” that would allow him to “play a constructive role” in the post-war stage in Gaza.
