Posted on 02/18/2014 5:18:15 PM PST by Olog-hai
German-Israeli relations are at a nadir as German Chancellor Merkel begins her third term. When leaders of the countries meet next week, deals on smaller issues may be possible, but divisions over Israeli settlements will persist. […]
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman—with whom (German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter) Steinmeier already had a tepid relationship—read out a laundry list of complaints to his colleague from Berlin. It even included lesser issues, like research and scientific cooperation, an area in which Israel claims Germany is imposing unacceptable conditions. Lieberman said Berlin often hides behind European Union positions rather than presenting its own views. But then he got straight to the point. He doesn’t feel the Germans are behaving as one would expect from a close partner. …
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
The Jews building homes for their children in their homeland is none of europe’s business ( unless they’d like to help).
Modern Israel pretty much only exists because of Germany.
Be sensible for them to just politely bow out of the discussion.
Actually, in the beginning, I thought it was pretty much because of the Soviet Union. Things changed later, however.
True, that’s why I said “modern”.
In reality it pre-dates the October 1917 revolution; Zionism was already well defined and under way by the 1917 Balfour Declaration, and so did not have a lot to do with the coming Soviet Union.
Thanks Olog-hai.
BS
The Germans see no immediate threat to self and other than being shamed into taking some sort of action they simply are playing games and taking the minimal and low risk options on everything (2006 Lebabon). These are games where their own internal political issues are driving foreign affairs but there is no real pragmatism in their approach other than the political capital that is derived back home by appearing resolute, unbiased, not intimidated, as an important player on the world stage... and independent from the past (sovereignty is important to them even though they like to hide behind supranational institutions to deflect any personal responsibility)...
The only logical and consistent behavior you’ll see from the Germans in North Africa, the Middle East or Persia is when it comes to making money. They sure want to make a Euro anywhere they can and then they become very consistent, rational and are willing to close both eyes and ears as they profit from a Saddam, today Iran (Germany is a major trading partner), Kadaffi’s Libya... That’s why the Germans refrained from getting involved in Libya, they were hedging their bets. Don’t expect he German involvemt here to be any more fruitful than with Iran’s nuclear and long range missile ambitions. Other than a huge show for the public back home, NOTHING will get accomplished.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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