Jerusalem: Israel is 'not seeking an endless war' with Iran, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated on Tuesday while hosting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Saar emphasized the significant achievements Israel and the United States have already made in the conflict, which erupted on February 28 and has since intensified across the Middle East.
According to Ghana News Agency, Saar acknowledged that the Iranian regime cannot be toppled without the active participation of the Iranian people. "This is clear," he said, adding that external assistance is crucial for the Iranian populace to reclaim their freedom. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also urged the Iranian people to rise against their government in Tehran.
Wadephul, the first European foreign minister to visit Israel since the conflict began, engaged in discussions with Saar in Jerusalem. The ministers toured the city of Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, to witness the aftermath of an Iranian missile attack. The missile strike on March 1 resulted in nine fatalities and approximately 50 injuries.
Since the conflict started with the joint US-Israeli offensive against Tehran, there have been a total of 13 deaths in Israel due to Iranian attacks. A woman whose husband was killed in the Beit Shemesh attack shared a harrowing account of the devastation with Wadephul. "Everything fell on top of us. It was dark, we couldn't breathe," she recounted tearfully. "Everything is gone, the memories, the pictures, everything is burned."
Wadephul's visit followed discussions with Cypriot Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos in Nicosia earlier that day. While Germany has predominantly supported Israel and the US in their confrontation with Iran, Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his concerns on Tuesday regarding the absence of a concrete plan to conclude the war. Berlin is particularly worried about the steep increase in fuel prices due to the conflict, which could severely impact economic growth.