German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel to “contribute to de-escalation” in the Middle East following the unprecedented attack by Iran on the Israeli state last Saturday in response to the shelling of its consulate in Damascus earlier this month.
During a press statement, while visiting China, Scholz praised Israel’s collaboration with its international partners in thwarting the attack, calling it “truly impressive” and a “success that must not be squandered.”
He added, “Therefore, our advice to Israel is to contribute to de-escalation.”
When asked if he was trying to persuade the Israeli Prime Minister not to militarily retaliate against the Iranian attack, the Chancellor responded that “our advice is that we need to reinforce the de-escalation.”
During a video conference with leaders of the G7 countries yesterday, Scholz stated, “I can tell you that our assessment of the situation is completely aligned.”
Scholz is heading to Beijing tomorrow, Tuesday, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as Premier Li Keqiang.