Germany concerned over illegal Israeli resettlement plans in Gaza

BERLIN

Germany on Friday expressed concern over statements by Israeli Housing and Construction Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf in support of reestablishing illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza.

“We are very concerned about the statement. We have consistently and clearly stated here again and again throughout the entire length of the conflict that we firmly reject the resettlement of Gaza…," Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Christian Wagner said at a press briefing in Berlin.

“In this respect, we firmly reject all statements that are aimed at planning or building settlements in Gaza,” he added.

Goldknopf has repeatedly called for reestablishing illegal Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip after the war against Hamas ends.

“Today I toured the Gaza Strip settlements. Jewish settlement here is the answer to the terrible massacre and the answer to the International Criminal Court in The Hague who, instead of caring for the 101 hostages, chose to issue arrest warrants against the prime minister and the minister of defense,” Goldknopf tweeted.

Last month, Germany strongly condemned Israel's national security minister for calling for the evacuation of Palestinians from Gaza and saying Israel could resettle the war-stricken enclave.

The statements by Itamar Ben-Gvir are “an unacceptable provocation that the federal government clearly rejects. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” according to the Foreign Ministry.

“The federal government rejects statements and projects of this type. Gaza belongs to Palestinian women and men. The federal government rejects an Israeli settlement (in Gaza), this would not only be contrary to international law but also certainly harmful to any political solutions, including with a view to a two-state solution,” it added.

Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year, killing 44,363 and injuring 105,070 in the war-ravaged enclave.

The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.