German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated today, after talks with Jordanian King Abdullah, that "the large number of civilian casualties that may result from an Israeli invasion of the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip will make achieving peace in the Middle East very difficult." He added that this is one of the main arguments he will present in his discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later today during his brief visit to the region.
The hastily arranged talks follow Israel's approval on Friday of a plan to attack the city located on the southern edge of the Palestinian territory, where more than half of its population of 2.3 million has been living amidst the ongoing war for the past five months.
After his discussions with King Abdullah in Aqaba, Jordan, on the Red Sea, Scholz said: "Right now, it is about ensuring a long-term ceasefire, which will allow us to prevent such a ground invasion." In response to a question about whether he was willing to pressure Netanyahu to stop this attack, Scholz remarked: "It is very clear that we must do everything to prevent the situation from getting worse than it already is." He added, "Israel has every right to defend itself; at the same time, those who have fled to Rafah in Gaza should not face a direct threat from any military actions taking place there."
