German Visit to Israel’s ‘Yellow Line’ Slammed

Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner’s visit to Gaza under Israeli military escort has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers who called it a one-sided tour that excluded Palestinian perspectives.

The conservative politician traveled on Thursday with the Israeli army into what is known as the “Yellow Line” – an area occupied by Israeli forces for months that international observers fear could become permanent.

Adis Ahmetovic, foreign policy spokesman for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), criticized the visit in remarks to public broadcaster ARD, saying it sent the wrong message just days after Israel announced plans for de facto annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“This must not be legitimized,” the lawmaker said. “And such a visit to the Gaza Strip with the Israeli army does not help to clarify or criticize these plans, but may even give them further support.”

Ahmetovic noted that Kloeckner’s itinerary included no meetings with high-ranking Palestinian representatives. “No visit to the West Bank, no visit to East Jerusalem, and during her planned visit to Gaza, she didn’t listen to a single voice,” he said. “That’s something that’s difficult to explain.”

Franziska Brantner, co-leader of the oppostion Greens party, echoed the criticism in an interview with Der Spiegel magazine.

“It is good that Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner wants to see Gaza for herself,” she said.

“But if she does so without even listening to the Palestinian side, she must accept the criticism that she only wants to perceive reality in this region from one perspective,” she said.

Kloeckner’s Israel trip began on Tuesday. She visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial on Wednesday, followed by a red carpet reception at the Knesset. She dismissed the criticisms, saying she raised the humanitarian situation in Gaza in meetings with Israeli officials and discussed the developments with opposition representatives and nongovernmental organizations. Anadolu

CrossFireArabia

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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Israeli Official: ‘Life in The North is Dead’

Head of the Israeli Regional Council Moshe Davidovich expressed sorrow over the situation in the north, saying: “It’s a feeling we’ve experienced before, and we wish we could be rid of it.”

In an interview published by Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday, Davidovich noted that “the residents of the north have been displaced and subjected to relentless shelling for nearly two years.”

Following the increasing number of Israeli soldiers injured in attacks by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon in response to the aggression, Davidovich called on his government to take action to “minimize casualties.”

He also raised another important point, saying: “Everyone is now embracing the residents of the north and saying they are with us, but at the same time I hear that the government intends to cut the north’s budget.” He asked: “How can this be?” describing the Tel Aviv government’s actions toward its own residents as “neglect.”

Life in the North is Nearly Dead

Davidovich addressed the head of the occupation government, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, saying: “People here are unemployed, agriculture is nearly dead, and tourism has come to a standstill,” urging them to take action and not simply ignore the situation.

He criticized his government’s intention to “cut budgets,” saying: “We give generously, but I don’t want to hear that word. It’s inappropriate and incorrect, and ultimately, it represents a law that harms us.”

Regarding the settlers in northern occupied Palestine, Davidovich said it is not right for them to remain there, describing the situation as difficult after two arduous years, adding that a recurring scene is their “descending to shelters.”

Israel Surprised by Hezbollah’s Response

Israeli media outlets report that the “political leaders” in the occupation government are shocked by Hezbollah’s response and feel powerless in the face of it.

Other media outlets report that “living in the north is not easy, and the situation is more complex than it was during the 2023-2024 war,” while Yedioth Ahronoth asserts that Hezbollah is neither disintegrating nor collapsing, and consistently succeeds in maintaining an organized chain of command and control.

The Israeli newspaper Maariv acknowledges that the party “remains alive and active, launching rockets even deep into Israeli territory, and is not firing indiscriminately.”

Channel 12 admits that the Israeli army was surprised by Hezbollah’s attack despite warnings, and that its soldiers’ assessments of the party’s capabilities were incorrect. JO24

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