„If you want to overcome political deadlock, you have to know the realities.”

Andrea Nahles with Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad

Three months after she assumed the post of SPD's General Secretary, Andrea Nahles chose the Palestinian Territories and Israel as her first destination of travels abroad. In numerous meetings in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Hebron she gained an impression of the current situation on the ground in the Middle East. Focal points of her journey organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung were the controversy of settlement building and the so-called settlement freeze of Prime Minister Netanjahu, the situation of the Fatah movement after the 6th party congress and the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian Territories.

Andrea Nahles and Michael Bröning, Director of FES in Jerusalem.

In the course of her journey, Andrea Nahles met with the Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad on 14 February in Ramallah. They talked about the prospects of a renewed peace process with Israel. "We need peace urgently, because the people in this region have been suffering from the conflict for far too long", Andrea Nahles said after the meeting.

Old friends - Andrea Nahles and Mustafa Barghouti say their goodbyes knowing they will meet again soon.

Especially the 1,5 million Palestinians in the Gaza strip suffer from the Israeli blockade that creates great humanitarian problems and destroys any hope for economic recovery. The European Union rightfully demanded an end of the blockade in December.
The Secretary General was deeply impressed by the record of Salam Fayyad's government in the West Bank, where under difficult circumstances the Prime Minister has managed to achieve significant progress in the past two and a half years.

Andrea Nahles in a meeting with women in the Jalazoon refugee camp.

The past years' cooperation with Frank-Walter Steinmeier was especially mentioned by Dr. Fayyad. Andrea Nahles encouraged Salam Fayyad to work towards achieving reconciliation between the two factions Fatah and Hamas.
In futher meetings Andrea Nahles talked with Robert Serry, the highest representative of the United Nations in the Middle East, as well as with Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary General of the Palestinian party Al-Mubadara.

On a tour through Hebron's Old City organized by TIPH Andrea Nahles experienced the differences that mark the city of Abraham's tomb.

With Mustafa Barghouti she discussed the possibilities of further cooperation between SPD/FES and Al-Mubadara, especially with regards to the municipal elections in the West Bank in July 2010.
A high light of her travels was a visit to Hebron. On a tour through Hebron's Old City and its Israeli settlements, organized by the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), Andrea Nahles experienced the differences that mark the city of Abraham's tomb.

Andrea Nahles at a checkpoint in front of Abraham's tomb.

Andrea Nahles was shocked to see the deep rift between Palestinian inhabitants and Israeli settlers and the resulting tensions in the city.