President of German Upper House Jens Böhrnsen visits FES in East-Jerusalem

President of the German Bundesrat and Governing Mayor of the State of Bremen Jens Böhrsen at the FES' office in Jerusalem

In his capacity as President of the German Bundesrat (Upper House), the Governing Mayor of the state of Bremen, Jens Böhrsen, visited Israel and the Palestinian Territories from 20th to 23rd of March.
In the course of his visit, Böhrnsen met high ranking Israeli and Palestinian decision-makers, such as Israeli President Shimon Peres, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
On 21st of March Böhrnsen visited the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in East-Jerusalem, in order to discuss recent developments regarding political parties in Palestine, focusing especially on Fatah and Hamas.
The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung also briefed the President of the Bundesrat on current developments regarding Israeli settlement expansions and on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip. The coastal strip continues to face a humanitarian disaster.

Böhrnsen expressed his concern vis-à-vis the extent and scope of Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian Territories which makes the implementation of a two-state-solution increasingly unlikely.