German foreign minister urges concerted effort for Middle East peace

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called on Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs and Europeans to make a concerted effort to implement the Middle East peace plan.

“The task now is to give the people here in the Middle East hope by ensuring that political action follows the extensive agreements and declarations of intent,” Wadephul said at the IISS Manama Dialogue security conference in the capital of Bahrain on Saturday.

The challenges facing the region can only be solved through cooperation and collaboration with Europe, he said.

Wadephul said the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip is fragile and requires the sustained commitment of all parties.

The Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon must be disarmed, as must Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and strong Lebanese armed forces are needed, he said. “These are all mammoth tasks that lie ahead of us, but they must be tackled.”

In particular, the problems between Israel and its neighbours must be resolved through cooperation and compromise, Wadephul stressed, and said that Germany wants to “support our partners and friends in the best possible way on this path.”

He said that a common thread had run through his talks in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon during his visit to the Middle East. “Everyone is ready to reach out to Israel and come to a new understanding with Israel.”

He said this provided “a great opportunity,” but added that “now, concrete understanding must be sought.”