UPDATE - Germany condemns Israeli 'plans' to displace Palestinians, build Jewish settlements in Gaza

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS OF GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Monday condemned a meeting of Israeli ministers and far-right groups to promote Palestinian emigration and rebuild Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said the participation of several Israeli government ministers at the conference, and speeches made there were unacceptable.

“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the participation of parts of the Israeli government at this resettlement conference, and clearly reject the statements made there,” Fischer said, referring to the gathering held in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“Such considerations for the expulsion of the Palestinian population from Gaza, and rebuilding Israeli settlements there are totally unacceptable, they contribute to a worsening of the situation in the current conflict, and clearly violate international law,” he added.

Around a dozen Israeli ministers attended the far-right conference on Sunday, where participants called for measures to encourage the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza, and rebuild and create new Jewish settlements in the Palestinian enclave.

The spokesman underlined that “Gaza belongs to the Palestinians,” and the international community will not accept a renewed occupation, new Israeli settlements, or territorial reduction after the current war concludes.

“Those who think that they can achieve security for Israel with fantasies of expelling Palestinians are clearly on the wrong track: it is in Israel's own interest to achieve a sustainable solution to this conflict, which can only be a two-state solution,” Fischer said.

“And we all know that the International Court of Justice has just recently ordered Israel to refrain from making such inciting statements and has also called on the Israeli courts to investigate them. That is what we also expect now,” he added.