Sa’ar, Danish FM clash on Gaza humanitarian situation, evacuation of injured Gazans

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen present clashing interpretations of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and differ on the issue of transferring medical patients out of the territory, at their joint press conference in Jerusalem this morning.

Addressing the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Sa’ar points to progress, saying, “There is a big change on the ground.”

“It’s not something that you can find in Western media, but the facts are we fulfilled all our understandings with the [European Union] on the matter,” he continues, referring to agreements reached with Brussels in July on the need to increase aid flow into the Strip.

“More than that, after we also started with the humanitarian corridors policy and airdrops, huge quantities entered the Gaza Strip, and that was reflected in the dramatic decline of the price of products. Therefore, the situation today is totally different from what it was a few months ago,” Sa’ar says.

Sa’ar says that he and his Danish counterpart agreed this morning to cooperate on humanitarian issues, including medical evacuations: “We decided together to have a joint team to find a cooperation on a humanitarian issue, to see what we can do together, among other things on the medical evacuation of people from Gaza,” he says, adding that Foreign Ministry Director-General Eden Bar Tal would be the point of contact.

He further says, “There is an anti-Israeli obsession wave in Europe today. Europe faces security and strategic challenges. I believe that Europe needs Israel no less than Israel needs Europe. A constructive dialogue cannot be based on threats and sanctions.”

Rasmussen, however, appears to downplay the progress Jerusalem has made on humanitarian issues: “We do not agree on any major breakthrough,” he says, explaining that he “reiterated Denmark’s offer to help assist with the treatment of patients from Gaza in East Jerusalem or the West Bank… You are not open for giving these patients access.”

“Having said that, I’m pleased that we at least agreed that we will now ask a joint team to look into what could be done alternatively, for instance, by investments in Gaza… We should explore that and we should work closely together because we stand ready with personnel, with money and equipment,” he continues.

“It would, of course, have been much easier if you would allow transport of the patients from Gaza to East Jerusalem, but I can’t force you to do that, even though it could save many lives,” says the Danish foreign minister and former Danish premier.

Rasmussen notes that dialogue with the EU in July led to improvements, but says Denmark is still “extremely concerned about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza,” repeating calls for Israel “to stop the military offensive in Gaza, to ensure immediate and unhindered humanitarian assistance.” He notes that Denmark, as chair of the EU for the second half of the year, is discussing the issue with European partners.

Pressed by foreign media on why Israel won’t allow medical evacuations to the West Bank or East Jerusalem, Sa’ar responds: “It’s a war, and we have our security concerns. I can ask why Copenhagen doesn’t want to get these patients as well.”

“But we agreed to look into whether we can do it with some Arab states, and we will work constructively to see whether we have solutions that can be acceptable. We are looking forward to working together on that, not only on this medical evacuation, but on anything connected to the humanitarian situation. We are open to work together with Denmark and with the EU,” Sa’ar says.