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| Merkel visits Israel amid uncertainty following Hamas victory
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Israel Singer, Chairman of the Policy Council of the World Jewish Congress and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel last week in Berlin
Photo: German Federal Press Office
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German chancellor Angela Merkel was due to arrive in Israel Sunday in what is being billed as her chance at winning sympathy by the Israeli public.
As well as addressing concern amongst Israelis that European countries have not taken a firmer stance against Iran’s anti-Israel and pro-atomic bomb policies, Merkel will be expected to make a stand against Hamas, the Islamist organization which won the Palestinian elections on Thursday.
In a public move aimed at showing disaproval of Hamas, who’s leaders have called for Israel’s destruction, Berlin confirmed Merkel will only hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.
Although Abbas is the leader of the defeated Fatah party, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said ahead of Merkel's departure: "Our only interlocutor is president (Mahmud) Abbas,”
"The chancellor stresses her hope that the political forces in the Palestinian territories will live up to their responsibilities and do everything in their power to seek an end to violence and develop their country," Wilhelm added.
Two-state solution
Merkel’s official near-east policy underlines Israel’s right to secure borders and Palestinian statehood.
Israel’s Ambassador to Germany, Shimon Stein, told the Associated Press that he hopes that Merkel will push for United Nations sanctions against Iran.
Merkel’s trip to Israel was briefly put into question, when Ariel Sharon suffered his stroke on 4 January, but Stein let the German government know that Israel is a fully-functioning democracy whose institutions are ready to welcome Merkel, as scheduled.
The visit is the first by a foreign leader to Israel sine Ehud Olmert took over as Acting prime minister following Sharon’s incapacitation. Olmert has taken the reigns of Sharon’s newly formed centrist Kadima party and is widely predicted to lead the party to victory in the 28 March Israeli general election.
Merkel will meet with Olmert on Monday evening as well as holding talks with Israeli president Moshe Katsav, newly appointed foreign minister Tzipi Livni, Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Labour party head Amir Peretz.
She will also lay a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum, only a few days after the international Holocaust memorial day on Friday.
Iranian threat
Merkel has taken the lead within Europe to attempt to check Iran’s verbal belligerence against the Jewish state. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinedjiad has gone so far as to imply that the holocaust was a “European invention… a context aimed at giving Jews a homeland on Arab soil”.
Israel is hoping that the Europeans will break off ties with Teheran, although this action seems unlikely. Although only token in gesture, Merkel’s crusade to garner support at checking Iran is a cause for hope in Israel.
This week, Merkel met with Israel Singer, Chairman of the Policy Council of the World Jewish Congress who travelled to Berlin to lobby Merkel’s support in taking a lead in the “west’s dialogue with Islam”.
A WJC statement, sent to the German Federal Press Office, said that Singer asked the Chancellor to make dialogue her personal priority and to take a leading role in peacefully resolving the conflict over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
With its influence in Islamic countries, Germany could play the role of mediator between East and West, Singer said, adding: “If properly managed, the religions could help to avoid the 'Clash of Civilizations', instead of being its cause.”
Singer referred to Jewish dialogue with the Catholic Church as an example for how a millenium-old hatred could be overcome within only a few decades.
The WJC hopes that Merkel will form a “study group to prepare efforts in the dialogue with Islam”.
A spokesman of the Federal Press Office told EJP that the Chancellor would delve into the matter more deeply – underlining, however, that no timetable has yet been set for this.
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