Last week, former German Minister of Health and Deputy Chairman of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Hermann Gröhe, together with Dr. Christoph Benn, Director for Global Health Diplomacy at the Joep Lange Institute in Geneva, visited the West Bank including East Jerusalem to discuss challenges to the Palestinian health sector, humanitarian access, and the current situation on the ground.
During a visit to the Bedouin community of al Auja near Jericho in Area C, local representatives described repeated Israeli settler attacks, restricted access to water, and growing pressure on residents to leave their land. Like in many other isolated parts of the West Bank, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) provides essential medical care through a small mobile clinic, oftentimes sustained only by the dedication of local volunteers. At the PRCS headquarters in Ramallah/ al-Bireh, Mr. Gröhe toured the emergency operations room and central storage facility, where humanitarian supplies are awaiting approval to enter the Gaza Strip. PRCS President Dr. Younis Al Khatib and colleagues from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) briefed Mr. Gröhe on the enormous challenges their teams face. Since the Gaza war following October 7, dozens of PRCS medical staff have been killed in the line of duty while responding to calls in Gaza and the West Bank. Mr. Gröhe also met with representatives of the German Red Cross (DRK), which, like many other national societies, works closely with the PRCS to support emergency preparedness, first aid training, and humanitarian coordination across the Palestinian Territories.
In a meeting with Minister of Health Dr. Maged Abu Ramadan, Mr. Gröhe discussed the pressing challenges facing the Palestinian health sector, including shortages of medical equipment, budget constraints, and restrictions on access and patient transfers. Further discussions with civil society organizations active in health diplomacy, such as Project Rozana, and with UN humanitarian agencies including the World Food Programme (WFP), focused on access to health services, food provision in Gaza, and local initiatives promoting cross border cooperation.
In East Jerusalem, meetings with German and local clergy centered on the situation of Christians in the Holy Land and the impact of current developments on daily life and interfaith coexistence. Mr. Gröhe visited the Mount of Olives and the Old City of Jerusalem, exploring historical sites and witnessing firsthand the living heritage and everyday realities of Christian life in the region.
