In a meeting with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP), Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz refuted the impression that his country is against a two-state solution. “He is in no way against a two-state solution,” Schallenberg told Austrian journalists yesterday after a meeting with Katz in Tel Aviv.
“What they are fighting tooth and nail is an imposed solution. “I have to agree with him,” Schallenberg continued. Katz's alleged statements contradict a public statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejected US demands for a two-state solution. Schallenberg then publicly distanced himself from Israel.
Schallenberg also reported assurances regarding the upcoming military operation in the border city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. “There will be no military operation in Rafah without the issue of how to deal with civil society being resolved,” Schallenberg said. Katz has said this several times.
North Corridors
Israel will also open more corridors for humanitarian aid in the northern Gaza Strip, Schallenberg said. There are also “encouraging signs” regarding negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of hostages, Schallenberg said. Katz made it clear that freeing the hostages was the “number one priority” because it was also important domestically.
After the meeting, Schallenberg visited, together with the father of the Austrian-Israeli Hamas hostage Tal Schoham, Gilad Korngold, the square in the center of Tel Aviv where the 130 people who are still kidnapped are remembered, including a table with dozens of meters of length. , which is symbolically covered for them.