Berlin warns of the risk of a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East, calling on all parties involved to show “maximum restraint”. “We call on all actors to show maximum restraint. The logic of mutual retaliation is the wrong path,” said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer, calling on everyone to remain calm and do everything to de-escalate. He also noted that “the opportunity to reach an agreement on the hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza must not be missed now.”
Fischer also assured that Foreign Minister Analena Burbock, despite being on summer vacation, is “always on call” and is currently in close contact with partners in the European Union and with representatives of governments in the region. “Diplomacy is in full swing and our common goal is to help calm the situation,” he said. As he highlighted, the “crisis management team” is in permanent session at the ministry, he stressed.
Deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Buchner said the German government was doing everything it could to prevent a regional outbreak. “The entire region is in an extremely dangerous situation,” he said.
I call on German citizens to leave Lebanon immediately
According to Fischer, there are still 1,800 Germans in Lebanon on the “emergency list”, 500 more than the day before yesterday. “Obviously, the gravity of the situation has now been recognised,” the Foreign Ministry spokesman said, urging those leaving the country to notify the authorities so that their names can be removed from the lists. Sebastian Fischer once again appealed to German citizens to leave Lebanon immediately “while there is still time”, warning that the situation could worsen overnight.
Source: RES-MPE