Chancellor Merkel in Israel: An analysis of German-Israeli relations
Konrad Adenauer meeting with Zalman Shazar in Israel.
In early 1950, negotiations were initiated between Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gourion president of the Jewish Claims Conference Nahum Goldmann and Chancellor of West Germany Konrad Adenauer Due to the sensitivity of acceptance repairs, this decision has been intensely debated in the Israeli Knesset in 1952, the agreement was signed reparations in all, from 2007, Germany had paid 25 billion euros in reparations to the Israeli state and individual survivors of the Israeli holocaust 3.
In 1950, Hermann Maas became the first German to be officially invited to Israel 4 It took fifteen years before West Germany and Israel established diplomatic relations May 12, 1965 5 Since then, these mutual visits occur regularly, although many years relations have been affected by the fact that the Jews both inside and outside Israel have maintained a deep mistrust of Germany and the German people first visit German President official Roman Herzog outside Europe was in Israel in 1994, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was the first foreign leader received in Berlin after the removal of the German government in Bonn in 1999, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder visited Israel in October 2000 2005, the year of the 40th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, 6 German President Horst Köhler and the former president MB she Katsav of Israel exchanged state visits August 7.
The two countries have established a network of contacts among parliamentarians, governmental and non-governmental as well as strategic and security ties.
On January 30, 2008, the spokesman of Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the German and Israeli cabinets would meet Israel in March 2008, in honor of the 60th anniversary of Israel This was the first time the government German cabinet met another outside Europe the joint meeting should become an annual event 9 March 17, 2008, Angela Merkel paid a three-day visit to Israel to mark the 60th birthday Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signed agreements on a range of projects in education, environment and defense 10 Merkel spoke of his support for the Jewish state in an unprecedented speech to the Knesset 18 March 2008 11 in January 2011 Angela Merkel visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Tzipi Livni Kadima 12 in February 2011, Netanyahu called Angela Merkel to di scuss the vote of Germany in the UN Security Council in favor of the Palestinian proposal Merkel reportedly told Netanyahu that she ha disappointed and did nothing to advance peace 13 To clear the air Netanyahu was invited for a reconciliation visit to Berlin in mid-March 2011 13.
In September, Merkel criticized Israel for settlement construction in Jerusalem and said that new housing permits have raised doubts about Israel's willingness to negotiate with the Palestinians 14.
Germany was one of 14 countries that voted against the UNESCO Palestinian membership in October 2011, under the initiative Palestine 194 When Israel announced the construction of settlements continue in response to Palestinian attempts to declare a state unilaterally, Germany has threatened to stop deliveries to Israel of submarines capable of firing nuclear warheads 15.
Deutsche Bahn German national railway, May 2011 released from the railway high speed line project in Jerusalem because the line will go in part to the West Bank According to press reports, the German Minister of Transport Peter Ramsauer said CEO Deutsche Bahn that the projected railway line was problematic from a policy perspective and a violation of international law as a result, the company, which is owned by the German government, withdrew from the project was given the company decision as a victory for Israeli and Palestinian leftist activists who had campaigned as part of the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions movement 16.
Israeli Trade Minister Shalom Simhon met with German officials.
Germany is Israel's main trading partner in Europe and Israel's second largest trading partner after the Israeli imports from the United States to Germany represent about 2 $ 3 billion a year, while Israel is the fourth largest trading partner of Germany in the North Africa region Middle East 1.
Germany-Israel relations, Germany, Israel, relations, Israel 60th Anniversary.