Germany: Peace with Israel 'not possible' under constant violations of Palestinian rights, says foreign minister
SHOTLIST: MUNICH, GERMANY (FEB 15, 2026) 1. PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VARSEN AGHABEKIAN SHAHEEN SPEAKING TO REPORTER (English)MUNICH, GERMANY - FEB 15, 2026: Palestine's foreign minister on Sunday said peace with Israel is "not possible" while Palestinian rights continue to be violated, stressing international law must be upheld and unilateral measures halted. Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Varsen Aghabekian Shaheen said "peace with Israel under conditions of constant violation of Palestinian rights is not possible." She argued that unilateral Israeli actions in occupied territory, West Bank and East Jerusalem, such as illegal settlement expansions and legalizations, undermine prospects for a negotiated settlement. "Everything that Israel is undertaking unilaterally in occupied territory should be considered null and void," she said, stressing annexation "is in violation of international law, and it is a crime that needs to be stopped." Shaheen also addressed the Gaza ceasefire process, saying progress to the next stage depends on full implementation of initial commitments. “We would like to go into phase two, but we need to ensure that phase one obligations are undertaken," she said. The first phase ended after an exchange of Israeli hostages with Palestinian prisoners, and the second includes reconstruction of the enclave Israel destroyed in two years of bombing. "We still see that we don't have a complete ceasefire. We have a partial ceasefire. The humanitarian assistance is not getting in to the extent that is needed. The Rafah border crossing is partially opened," she added, noting that further measures are required for a smooth transition. Calling for stronger international action, Shaheen pointed to existing legal and diplomatic frameworks. “What we would like is for the world to stand up and say, 'Look, enough is enough. International law is very clear,'" she said, referring to international rulings and UN resolutions that deem settlements and occupation illegal. Shaheen said recent attacks reinforce what she described as Israel being "for no peace,” arguing that if it genuinely sought peace, it would halt violations of international law and Palestinian rights. Instead, she said, Israel is continuing "annexationist colonialist measures" and seeking to "legalize criminality." She urged the international community to say "enough is enough" and uphold international law, including the ICJ ruling and UN Resolution 2334, which she said deem settlements and occupation illegal. Asked about her call to Germany and Finland to join other European countries in recognizing Palestine, she said: "They will consider at the right time. The vision of recognition is there, but they need to be moving towards it according to their convenience. But to me, the matter is very clear. If you are a two-stater, if you believe in international law, if you want to comply with international law, you need to recognize, because there is no justification whatsoever for not recognizing." On regional diplomacy, she described Türkiye as a significant actor in reconciliation efforts and humanitarian assistance. "Türkiye is an important player," she said. "Its humanitarian assistance and development assistance in Palestine is extremely important and we expect that Türkiye, as a key player in the region, to continue this role towards peace."
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