Former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer's comments came on the sidelines of the presidential conference "Facing Tomorrow" in J'lem Thursday.
By STEVE LINDE, TOVAH LAZAROFFjoschka fisher 88(photo credit: )
Israel and the Palestinians should not abandon their search for a two-state solution, despite the current surge in violence, former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer said on Thursday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the presidential conference "Facing Tomorrow" in Jerusalem, Fischer said: "I think everything should be done to reach a political settlement, but this will not help the people of Ashkelon, who are suffering today, or even innocent Palestinians who are suffering on the other side. I think we shouldn't give up [the attempt] to reach peace."
Asked for his response to Wednesday's devastating missile attack on Ashkelon, Fischer said: "This is a painful reality, and has to be dealt with by the Israeli government and relevant international actors here in the region. The military options you must ask your military about, not me."
Fischer, who left office three years ago, said his only hope was that Israel and the Palestinians continue their efforts to reach a peace agreement.
"I think it's important that the talks with the Palestinians continue. They are very complicated, I suppose, but in the end, I think everything should be done to reach an agreement for the sake of the future of both people," he told The Jerusalem Post.
"I think the vision of a two-state solution is a very important one, and it would open a very pessimistic future if we, I mean the international community and the actors on the ground, would lose the two-state solution."
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