Netanyahu's office: There is no Israel-Germany diplomatic crisis

[Jefferson23]

Comments come following Haaretz report that Merkel had reprimanded Netanyahu for new construction in contested Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

By Barak Ravid

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday denied that a diplomatic crisis has erupted between Israel and Germany over Israel's approval last week of new construction in Jerusalem, beyond the Green Line. Instead the PM's staff blamed the Israeli media for misrepresenting the facts of the affair.

Haaretz reported Friday that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had berated Netanyahu over the approval of 1,100 housing units in the contested Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, just several days after the Mideast Quartet of peacemakers had presented its plan for renewing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

"Our ties with the German government and Chancellor Merkel are good and close," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "When we have disagreements they are resolved in good spirits."

snip* At Netanyahu's request, Merkel had also put massive pressure on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to accept the Quartet's initiative to renew talks immediately, the Israeli official said. He said that Germany may now reconsider and support upgrading the PA status to that of a non-member state in the UN General Assembly.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/netanyahu-s-office-there-is-no-israel-germany-diplomatic-crisis-1.387635

[Violet_Crumble]

1. LOL. This bit was good...

'Yet Netanyahu's office did not relate to the fact that Merkel was the one to issue an official statement Friday, from which it could be understood that she had harshly admonished Netanyahu. Merkel's statement was highly irregular in light of the discrete manner and low media profile she has normally maintained in her relationship with Netanyahu over the past two years.'

;hi:

[azurnoir]

2. guess she's PO'd about something

Senior German officials told their Israeli counterparts that Merkel was "furious" and "does not believe a word says."


Senior officials said Merkel was angry particularly because of the timing of the announcement on construction, which she felt had sabotaged efforts to return the Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table.


ah but Bibi has little to be concerned about as the US Congress has no such anger issues

[Jefferson23]

3. I doubt she has ever believed him, and it is mentioned she was angry

about the timing of the information going out. Yes, their best friend has done well by Israel, so no worries for Bibi.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. Well, here's hoping for one.

The more isolated and pressured Israel is, and the fewer friends it has, the better the hope it will decide that peace is preferable to the status quo.

[King_David]

5. Germany will fulfill its obligations to the Jewish State, there is no time limit nt

[azurnoir]

6. its obligations I believe there is some restitution for Holocaust survivors

and your right they will fulfill that obligation, however whether or not that obligation includes diplomatically rubber stamping everything Israel does is another question entirely

[King_David]

7. Yep their obligations go farrr further than some restitution

And they recognize this.

[azurnoir]

8. I see that is why Haaretz ran this article

as horrible as the Holocaust was the Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren of those guilty will IMO not allow themselves to be held eternally responsible and beholden for their ancestors wrongs, when this generation of the children of Nazi Germany passes it will be over and seems to a degree already is

[King_David]

10. There is no end to what Germany owes to the Jewish people.

Certainly not after a mere 60 or 70 or 100 years.

GOT IT?

GOOD !

[Donald Ian Rankin]

27. Nonsense. Very few living Germans owe the Jewish people anything.

There is no end to what those responsible for the holocaust owed (in a tiny number of cases "owe", but nearly all of them are dead). But no-one born after 1945 - or, for that matter, after 1930 or so - bears any responsibility for it, no matter where they were born.

One could argue that the German *state* - as opposed to individual Germans - also owes a debt to the Jews, but if so that debt must be paid at Germany's own expense, not that of the Palestinians.

[King_David]

31. Well that's why I said Germany and not the German people.

And it seems my Grandparents would disagree with you.also it seems
a lot of German people such as their Foreign minister may disagree with you.( thankfully)

[King_David]

12. German FM tells 'Post' move expression of Germany's "special responsibility" to Israel.

http://new.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=236458




Germany pulls out of Durban III anti-racism conference


Berlin fears event will be misused for anti-Semitism; German FM tells 'Post' move expression of Germany's "special responsibility" to Israel.




The Germans get it, I can not help other peoples ignorance.

[azurnoir]

14. yes I remember that particular line quite well from the thread

that was run here based on the subject I'm surprised you did not post the thread, it seems when I stated that Germany withdrew because of its 'special responsibility to Israel" I was met with vehement disagreement but I guess it all depends on what ones trying to sell and when

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=361984

however this is not Durban an 'antisemitic' conference being boycotted by several nations it concerns peace negotiations and the person is Angela Merkel not Guido Westerwelle

are you ignorant of the differences between the Quartet and Durban?

also interesting is the apparent attitude that Germany or is it every German owns Israel an eternal debt because of what one horrendous group of Germans and others did 70 years ago?

[King_David]

15. are 'you ignorant of the differences between the Quartet and Durban?'

Ha , stick on topic ,which is Germany's responsibility.

Their own FM proved me right.

we call that a TOUCHDOWN !!!!

:bounce:

[azurnoir]

17. you brought the Durban thread into the conversation

you do seem not to understand the differences in the situations? and the subject of thee thread here is Merkel not Westerwelle and last I looked a PM does have 'rank' over an FM

BTW has Westerwelle spoken out on this particular issue ?

[King_David]

18. Can not answer your question because of really bad logic

The German Foreign Minister gets it.

You do not.

Nothing to do with Durban or Johannesburg or Cape Town , but everything to do with Germany's obligation to Jews and The Jewish State for the next 100 or 200 years.

[azurnoir]

19. oh no I do "get it" the question is will subsequent generations of Germans for next century or two

Merkel already seems to be 'backsliding'

[King_David]

21. As I said before, Germany will fulfill its obligations. nt

[azurnoir]

23. and what in your mind are Germany's 'obligations'? n/t

[King_David]

24. Yawn , bye bye nt

[azurnoir]

25. can't say or don't want to? hmmm sleep tight though n/t

[shira]

28. Their obligation is to protect Jews, fight antisemitism and hatred. n/t

[azurnoir]

30. Is being upset with Israel for deciding to start building

at a 'delicate' point in time diplomatically included in the list of protecting Jews and fighting antisemitism?

[shaayecanaan]

9. Are there any other countries that have an obligation to the Jewish State?

Just interested.

[King_David]

11. At this point in time,Germany's obligations are quite obvious.

(I think you probably understand this)

[shaayecanaan]

13. What do you mean by "at this point in time"?(nt)

[King_David]

16. Next 100-200 years nt

[shaayecanaan]

20. The slave trade only ended in 1859

I suppose if liability extends for 200 years the US will be liable to West African nations for a good while yet.

[King_David]

22. If not for the Holocaust, there would be as many as 32 million Jews worldwide

If not for the Holocaust, there would be as many as 32 million Jews worldwide, instead of the current 13 million, demographer Professor Sergio Della Pergola has written in a soon-to-be published article.


http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/how-many-jews-would-there-be-if-not-for-the-holocaust-1.274315

[Violet_Crumble]

26. What obligations? To blindly agree with Israel, no matter what?

Germany has no such obligation...

[shira]

29. The obligation not to participate in an antisemitic hatefest like Durban, for example. n/t

[Violet_Crumble]

33. But this isn't Durban. It's Germany being critical of a move by Israel...

I can understand why Germany would disassociate itself from anything that has been labelled antisemitic, even if the connection could be tenuous, but there's nothing antisemitic at all about being critical of an extremely provocative move made by Israel only days after Germany has called for Israel and the Palestinians to return to negotiations...

[shira]

35. You believe calling Durban antisemitic is tenuous?

Germany criticizing Israel for settlements is legit criticism, so we agree.

Not that I agree it's a "provocative" move, however. Gilo will be part of Israel in any future 2 state peace deal.

[King_David]

32. Oh , much much much more than that nt

[Violet_Crumble]

34. Like what? Agreeing with everything Israel wants it to wouldn't be enough? n/t

[King_David]

36. Their obligations are undefinable

And they acknowledge it .