BERLIN

Germany’s foreign minister is scheduled to travel to Israel and the West Bank for political talks late Wednesday night amid the escalating Gaza conflict.

“I am planning to travel to Israel for talks in Jerusalem and Ramallah later tonight,” Heiko Maas told reporters in Berlin.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Maas will meet with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

In Ramallah he is slated to meet with Mohammad Shtayyeh, the Palestinian Authority prime minister.

Talks will focus on the current escalation in the Middle East and international efforts to end the violence.

Germany is a staunch ally of Israel and has repeatedly supported Tel Aviv’s military aggression on Gaza, claiming that Israel is exercising its right to self-defense.

Meanwhile, a German Foreign Ministry spokesperson has called for a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict amid the mounting death toll, especially among Palestinian civilians.

“We are trying to get both sides to first have a truce and then a cease-fire,” Andrea Sasse told reporters.

Despite the growing violence – now in its tenth day – diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire have failed to make much progress.

The US continues to block the UN Security Council from issuing a joint statement urging an end to the hostilities, telling diplomats that a public statement would not help calm the tensions.

Berlin has repeatedly ruled out direct talks with the Palestinian group Hamas, which governs the Gaza strip.

At least 227 Palestinians, including 64 children, have been killed in Israeli military airstrikes on Gaza since the latest violence erupted on May 10. About 1,620 Palestinians have been injured.

Twelve people in Israel have died, while nearly 300 Israelis have been wounded, according to local media reports.

Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/german-foreign-minister-due-in-israel-palestine/2247510

The post German foreign minister due in Israel, Palestine first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Palestinian Authority (PA) cabinet leader Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday urged the European Union to play an active role in the future political process related to the Palestinian cause.

Shtayyeh made the call during an online meeting with the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, attended by 80 people representing different countries and parties in Europe.

“It is necessary to break the status quo that the Palestinian cause is passing through because of the Israeli occupation measures,” said Shtayyeh, according to the Xinhua news agency. He called on the EU to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

During the meeting, he also called on Europe “to end the American monopoly of sponsoring the Middle East peace process through an international conference for peace in which all parties participate.”

“Any political process must depend on ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories on the basis of the two-state vision under international law and United Nations resolutions,” Shtayyeh noted.

The PA has rejected any US attempts to broker peace talks with Israel, arguing that the Trump administration is biased in favor of Israel and is therefore not an “honest broker”.

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly pushed for an international conference for peace in the Middle East, aimed at bypassing the US efforts to resume talks.

The last round of peace talks between Israel and the PA failed in 2014 when the PA unilaterally applied to join international organizations in breach of the conditions of the talks.

Source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/288953

The post PA urges EU to play role in peace process first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.