Germany warns against Israel's straying away from two-state solution

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed concerns Wednesday about the long-term implication of the Israeli policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Speaking at a conference organized by a national security think tank in Tel Aviv, Gabriel said he is deeply worried about the Israeli government's growing distance from a two-state solution.

Germany is one of Israel's strongest supporters and closest allies.

"As a friend of Israel, and as a foreign minister of a country with a special commitment to your country's security, I am sincerely concerned about Israel's options," Gabriel told the annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies, an academic forum.

"What exactly is Israel's strategy in this conflict? Some members of Israel's cabinet are explicitly against the two-state solution. These mixed signals do not go unnoticed in Europe where there is clearly growing frustration with Israel's actions," he said.

Addressing opponents of a Palestinian state, Gabriel asked: "How do you want Israel's future to look like? Are you prepared to pay the price of perpetual occupation?"

Gabriel said that U.S. President Donald Trump's unequivocal support for Israel is not necessarily a good thing.

"The Americans are taking your side more clearly than ever before, but is this really only a good thing? When I think of the likely consequences I think this is more ambivalent," he said.

On Wednesday, Gabriel met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. In short remarks after the meeting, Gabriel said he was glad "to hear that, of course, also the government of Israel wants to have two states."

In response, Netanyahu said that he rather not to go into specific definitions. "I'd rather not discuss labels, but substance," he said.

He reiterated position that Israel must maintain a security control over the West Bank and Gaza.

The U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians reached an impasse in 2014, and were never restarted despite President Trump's effort to revive the process.