In a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated that the implementation of the decision to create two states is a condition for lasting peace in the Middle East, reports AFP.

“Only an agreed decision on the creation of two states will open the prospect of a long-term solution to the conflict in the Middle East. This must apply in both Gaza and the West Bank,” the German chancellor said, calling for a “central role” for a “reformed Palestinian Authority,” according to a press release from the chancellor.

The government of Israel refuses to discuss the “two-state solution”, which irritates the international community, and Netanyahu has repeatedly stated his opposition to “Palestinian sovereignty”.

Western diplomats are trying to push for a solution that would allow Israelis and Palestinians to live in two separate and sovereign states, the prospect of which has been further remoted by the war in Gaza.

Germany, like the United States, is showing strong support for Israel after the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas attacked Israeli territory on October 7, 2023.

During the meeting, Olaf Scholz also emphasized the “urgent need to significantly improve access and delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of the Gaza Strip,” describing the situation as “very worrying.”

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