Should German troops also protect Israel in the future? Foreign Minister Baerbock can basically imagine the Bundeswehr being involved. At the traffic lights people express themselves cautiously.
German peacekeepers in Gaza? From the point of view of Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), this is a completely conceivable scenario, at least within the framework of an international protection force. Baerbock just told “Stern” that peace in the region requires “international security guarantees,” to which Germany should make its contribution.
The aim of such an international security guarantee is “that terror against Israel will never again come from Gaza” and that the Palestinians can live safely in their own state. The prerequisite for German participation is that Israel’s Arab neighbors also take responsibility, said Baerbock. She referred to the role of the Allies after the Second World War, whose presence ensured peace in Europe for decades.
The suggestion received a mixed response at the traffic lights. The SPD defense politician Joe Weingarten told t-online: “If we take seriously the word about protecting Israel as our reason of state and our commitment to a peaceful solution in Gaza, we cannot refuse such a wish.” However, the prerequisite for such an operation is that “both sides”, i.e. Israel and the Palestinians, see German peacekeepers as part of a peace solution, emphasized the Social Democrat. At the same time, he restricted: “A combat deployment of German troops in Gaza is out of the question.”
The defense policy spokeswoman for the Greens, Sara Nanni, was also open to the Foreign Minister’s proposal. “If there is an agreement that contributes to the pacification of the region, Germany must at least offer to play a role in a future peace order.” Although she considers it “very unlikely” that Israel would accept German peacekeepers in Gaza, it should not be ruled out, said the Green Party politician.
The chairman of the Defense Committee in the German Bundestag, Marcus Faber (FDP), is more reserved. “We have many states in the region that have opened up discussion formats in the last few months,” Faber told t-online. But first and foremost, the regional partners should take responsibility for security in Gaza, warned the FDP politician.
The Green Foreign Minister receives support from the opposition. CDU foreign expert Roderich Kiesewetter told t-online: “Foreign Minister Baerbock is right when she says that peace needs security guarantees. A ceasefire must also be credible and robustly secured.” It is therefore wise for Baerbock to keep all options open. With a view to a future peace order in the Middle East, the participation of German soldiers should not be ruled out at the moment, “even if the road is still very long,” said the CDU politician.
Kiesewetter points out that German soldiers are already active in the region in various multilateral deployment contingents, for example in the UN mission in Lebanon (Unifil) or the “Sea Guardian”, a NATO mission in the Mediterranean. “These mandates can be increased and, if necessary, adjusted in terms of deployment options. At least you shouldn’t rule it out,” said Kiesewetter. The Colonel a. D. reminds us that peace and ceasefire agreements “always” have to be secured militarily. In the future, this should primarily be done by Arab states, but they could be supported by European states “as a group”.
