German Foreign Minister: Troops in Gaza Possible
Germany’s military could take part in an international protection force in the Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on June 1.
If what is needed now is not just reconstruction, but an international protection force that guarantees that we finally, finally achieve peace in the Middle East, then that is also our common mission.
—Annalena Baerbock
Friend to Jews and Arabs? In mid-May, the Arab League called for a United Nations protection force for the Gaza Strip. Germany’s close relations with both Israel and the Arab world may make its contribution to such a mission acceptable by both parties.
Following the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: “Israel knows that Germany stands by it, but our country also has good connections to the neighboring Arab countries.”
Ninety-nine percent of Israeli weapons imports come from the United States or Germany. In the recent war, Germany has also contributed much humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and advocated for Israeli restraint.
On Sunday, Chancellor Scholz asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to support the proposed U.S.-led peace plan that includes:
- A six-week ceasefire
- The withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas in Gaza
- The release of vulnerable groups of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for imprisoned Palestinians
According to the Biden administration, this would open the door for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which could be facilitated by an UN protection force.
The Trumpet says: A German military deployment in the Gaza Strip may prepare it for a “peacekeeping” mission around the city of Jerusalem. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explained in “The Hidden Danger in Germany’s ‘Alliance Against Iran’” how this trend relates to Jesus Christ’s Olivet Prophecy:
Christ warned of a time when Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20-21). The parallel account in Matthew 24 calls this military deployment “the abomination of desolation” (verse 15; see also Daniel 12:11). Why? Because “the desolation [of Jerusalem] is nigh.” …
Christ’s warning that these armies surrounding Jerusalem will bring about its desolation is significant. Why? Most people will fail to recognize what is about to happen, because these armies will be disguised as peacekeeping forces. …
Hosea 5:13 describes the Jewish state (“Judah”) asking for help from the Germans (“the Assyrian”). And Daniel 11:41 says of this European power: “He shall enter also into the glorious land”—speaking of Israel. The Hebrew for “enter” indicates a peaceful entry, not forced. The Germans will undoubtedly be invited in as a peacekeeping force—to militarily secure Jerusalem from the engulfing violence.
