British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization in a joint Op-Ed in the Sunday Times.
“We must do all we can to pave the way to a sustainable ceasefire, leading to a sustainable peace. The sooner it comes, the better — the need is urgent," the two wrote.
However they said that they do not "believe calling right now for a general and immediate ceasefire, hoping it somehow becomes permanent, is the way forward."
According to them, such calls ignore "why Israel is forced to defend itself: Hamas barbarically attacked Israel and still fires rockets to kill Israeli citizens every day. Hamas must lay down its arms.”
"Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today," they wrote. "It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations. We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable."
While acknowledging Israel's right to defend itself and "to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas," Cameron and Baerbock claimed that "too many civilians have been killed" and that Israel must do more to ensure that civilians in Gaza are not harmed even as Hamas uses them as human shields.
Last week, Secretary Cameron that Israelis responsible for “settler violence against Palestinians” would be banned from entering Britain.
"Extremist settlers, by targeting and killing Palestinian civilians, are undermining security and stability for both Israelis and Palestinians," Cameron said on social media site X (formerly Twitter).
"Israel must take stronger action to stop settler violence and hold the perpetrators accountable. We are banning those responsible for settler violence from entering the UK to make sure our country cannot be a home for people who commit these intimidating acts," he added.