On Sunday, March 17, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Jerusalem for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The negotiations are being attended by representatives from both sides: on the Israeli side, the Minister of Strategic Planning, the head of the department for combating terrorism under the National Security Council, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, the military secretary of the Prime Minister, the political adviser, and the Israeli Ambassador to Germany; on the German side, the National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff to the Chancellor, Senior Advisor for Middle Eastern Affairs, and the German Ambassador to Israel.
Prior to the meeting with Netanyahu, while in Germany, Olaf Scholz expressed his opposition to the Israeli government's plan to conduct a military operation in Rafah, located in the south of the Gaza Strip.
He stated, "It is clear that we must now do everything possible to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Israel has every right to defend itself against the attack carried out by Hamas, which targeted Israeli citizens. However, it should not be the case that many of those who sought refuge in Rafah are now directly threatened by military actions and operations. That's why, like the American President, I have emphasized the importance of exercising extreme caution to avoid a large number of casualties in the future. Hence, my concern about such an operation... I believe that a significant number of casualties resulting from such an offensive would greatly hinder any peace process in the region. Many people in Israel also understand this. Therefore, this is a crucial aspect of my argument."
Scholz's last visit to Israel was a solidarity visit in October 2023, shortly after the tragic events of October 7.
