Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on March 17 that the country's military would pursue a planned ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which has raised concerns about large civilian casualties.
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| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Source: AFP) |
In a video recording of the Israeli Cabinet meeting released by Prime Minister Netanyahu's Office, the leader asserted: "No international pressure can stop us from achieving all the goals of this war... To achieve that determination, we will also advance to Rafah."
Meanwhile, speaking after meeting Jordanian King Abdullah II in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on March 17 predicted that the large number of civilian casualties resulting from Israel's offensive on the city of Rafah, in Gaza, would make regional peace "very difficult."
According to the German Chancellor, this is one of the arguments he will bring to talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu later in the day during a lightning trip to the Middle East.
“Right now, the issue is to make sure we move towards a lasting ceasefire. That objective allows us to prevent such an offensive campaign from taking place,” Mr Scholz said.
Asked whether he was ready to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop the Rafah offensive, the German leader said: “We must do everything to prevent the situation from getting worse than it is now… Israel has the right to defend itself… At the same time, those who have fled from Gaza to Rafah cannot be directly threatened by the actions and military operations that are being carried out there.”
However, Chancellor Scholz did not directly answer the question of Berlin's response in the event of a large-scale offensive on Rafah, such as by imposing a ban on German arms exports to Israel. Germany, along with the United States, is one of Israel's most reliable allies.
In addition, Prime Minister Scholz affirmed that his talks with King Abdullah II once again highlighted the importance of all negotiations to achieve long-term prospects for a peaceful coexistence between Israel and the State of Palestine.
(according to AFP)
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