The German federal government made an urgent appeal to Donald Trump’s new “Peace Council” before its first meeting, saying it is in contact with the council’s Gaza representative and several member states. Bundesentwicklungsministerin Reem Alabali Radovan (SPD) told the “Frankfurter Rundschau” that it is crucial that the council’s inaugural gathering focus on decisive action and concrete aid that quickly benefits people in Gaza. She added: “Germany is not a member of this peace council, but we are in intensive dialogue with its members”.
Alabali Radovan reiterated that Germany remains ready to support Gaza’s reconstruction and to contribute to a lasting improvement of the situation in the area and the region. She recalled the numerous conversations she had at the Munich Security Conference, mentioning exchanges with the EU Commission, France, Italy, Norway, Arab states, and Nickolay Mladenov, the council’s senior representative for Gaza.
She stressed that reconstruction can only occur under appropriate political conditions, insisting that the Hamas forces must be disarmed and no longer play a role. At the same time, she highlighted the Palestinians’ right to self‑determination, arguing that they must be part of the rebuilding process. She also underscored the necessity of a two‑state solution, stating that Germany is “very clear” on that objective.
Alabali Radovan acknowledged that cuts in the United States’ development cooperation have left a “gigantic gap” one that neither Germany nor the EU can fill alone. She noted that other donors are also reducing their contributions. “But we are working with our partners to find ways to fund global development in the future”. She concluded that Germany is now one of the largest actors in international development work and urged that the country should leverage this influence in a more strategic manner.