German scholar warns of Israel's collapse due to occupation
A prominent German Middle East scholar on Monday warned of an imminent collapse of the Israeli regime as a result of the Israel's ongoing occupation of the West Bank and Jerusalem.
"Israel... cannot survive, if it holds on to the occupied territories," said the director of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Volker Perthes at a news conference with members of the Berlin-based foreign media.
"The occupation of the West Bank is a cancer which is devouring Israel from the inside," the Mideast expert added.
The US and the European Union have repeatedly criticized Israeli plans to expand settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, branding them "not helpful."
According to Perthes, there was only a 30 percent chance to agree on a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal. He admitted there were still "incredible difficulties" in securing a Middle East peace accord.
Perthes termed the current peace process as "very fragile" and added that no Israel-Palestinian peace agreement could be achieved without addressing the Gaza situation.
