Wadephul in Tel Aviv: Germany to ease Israel travel advice

Berlin will ease its travel warnings for the Jewish state as the ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza continues to hold, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Saturday following a meeting in Tel Aviv with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar.

“In order to strengthen the important human exchange between Israel and Germany after months of restrictions, we will adjust our travel and safety advice in the near future as the situation calms down,” Germany’s top diplomat posted to X.

He also praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, saying it “shows the way to break the cycle of war and destruction,” adding that “important tasks must now be implemented: the international stabilization mission for Gaza requires a clear basis in international law.”

Wadephul called for the immediate reopening of the Allenby Bridge to “open an important supply route” for Gaza aid. The cargo terminal at the Israel-Jordan crossing remains indefinitely shuttered following a terrorist attack on Sept. 18 in which two IDF soldiers were killed.

Sa’ar highlighted the key points in the conversation held at his home.

“We held a wide-ranging discussion on Gaza and the Trump Plan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen and, of course, also on on topics regarding the bilateral relations between our countries,” Sa’ar wrote on X.

“In our meeting, I emphasized Hezbollah’s rearmament in Lebanon and its severe implications for the security of Israel and the future of Lebanon. Terror states have established themselves in Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen over the past few decades. Uprooting them is necessary for the stability and security of the region. I’ll continue strengthening our relations with Germany!”

Also on Saturday, Wadephul met with the family of Itay Chen, a 19-year-old IDF soldier and U.S.-German-Israeli citizen who was murdered by Hamas during the attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and whose body is still in Gaza.

“Itay’s absence weighs on his family like lead every single day,” Wadephul wrote on X. “At the meeting with his parents and his brothers today in Tel Aviv, I promised them once again that we will not rest until the body of Itay Chen, who was also German, comes home from Gaza.”