German FM says she will fly to Israel today in effort to prevent ‘escalation’

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says she will fly to Israel today to help deescalate the tense situation after Iran’s weekend attack and express Germany’s support for Israel.

She calls on all sides to prevent the conflict from spreading to other countries in the region and for new sanctions against Iran.

“I will assure our Israeli partners of Germany’s full solidarity,” she says. “And we will discuss how a further escalation with more and more violence can be prevented. Because what matters now is to put a stop to Iran without encouraging further escalation.”

Referring to Iran’s attack, the German minister says that “of course, this further military escalation now also has further consequences.”

Speaking to reporters in Berlin after a meeting with her Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, she says she will push for further European Union sanctions against Iran, specifically pointing out the country’s drone program.

Baerbock also says she will use her visit to again demand that more humanitarian aid be let into Gaza, and condemns the latest violence in the West Bank.