Oliver Towfigh Nia
23 May 2025•Update: 23 May 2025
BERLIN
Germany on Friday reaffirmed its opposition to US President Donald Trump's plans to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to other countries.
"I believe the German government's position on this is very clear," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner told reporters in Berlin, citing top German diplomat Johann Wadephul's statement that Gaza belongs to the Palestinian territories.
Wadephul said on Tuesday in Brussels that Germany remains committed to a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict and supports a two-state solution.
“There must be no expulsion, direct or indirect, of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. I have also explained this very clearly to our Israeli partners and friends during my visit, and this is the basis of our future policy,” the minister added.
Wagner’s comments followed remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who pledged again to implement the Trump plan, which human rights experts view as an attempt at the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the government's new deputy spokesperson, Sebastian Hille, reiterated his country's deep concern over the situation in Gaza.
“We are very concerned about the situation in the Gaza Strip, both in terms of the humanitarian situation and the intensified fighting that we are seeing there,” he said.
“What needs to happen now in terms of humanitarian aid, we clearly see Israel as having a responsibility that it must fulfill,” Hille added.
Mounting criticism among Germans over Israel’s military action in Gaza
According to a survey conducted by public broadcaster ZDF, an increasing number of Germans are criticizing Israel's military actions in Gaza. It said 80% of respondents believe the military operation, which has resulted in significant casualties among Palestinian civilians, is unjustified, up 11% from March 2024.
Only 12% of those polled supported the operation against Hamas, as Germany has seen widespread protests against Israel's brutal war in Gaza.
