German Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful has expressed hope for further implementation of the Middle East peace plan and announced easing of travel restrictions to Israel from Germany.
The German Foreign Minister noted that the first condition for lasting security and stability in the Gaza Strip is ensuring a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. “Overall, I have the impression that both sides are determined to turn this ceasefire into a long-term process and ultimately achieve peace“, Wadeful said after meeting with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in Tel Aviv. His words were quoted by the DPA news agency.
“It is easier to say that Hamas should be disarmed than to actually do it“, he stressed, noting that “there is a common will for this”. The German foreign minister expressed confidence in the continuation of the peace process. “I also believe that we can review the travel recommendations to Israel“, the minister said.
By easing the travel restrictions, Wadeful intends to encourage greater exchange between Israel and Germany. This, he said, is particularly important for the younger generation. The German Foreign Minister expressed concern that students and pupils are currently facing significant obstacles when traveling to Israel.
On September 29, the White House presented US President Donald Trump's plan aimed at resolving the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The document consists of 20 points and provides, among other things, for the introduction of temporary external administration in the Palestinian enclave and the deployment of international stabilization forces there. On October 9, Trump announced that representatives of Israel and Hamas had reached agreements on the first phase of the peace plan after negotiations in Egypt. The ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on October 10.