Although France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Spain may go so far as officially recognize a Palestinian state, Berlin will not, and sources say, Germany will not support EU or UN sanctions should Israel annex parts of the West Bank.
By Itamar Eichner
Germany will not support sanctions over Israel’s planned unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank or recognize Palestinian independence, a diplomatic official in Jerusalem said Monday.
However, the official stressed that annexation would likely put a strain on the relations between Jerusalem and Berlin, and Germany’s willingness to support Israel on the international scene.
Germany is set in July to take the presidency of two key institutions, the Council of the European Union for six months, as well as the UN Security Council for a month, meaning, Berlin will head two major international forums just as they will need to respond to Israeli actions, should Jerusalem move forward with its intention to apply sovereignty onto the contested territory. Continue Reading »
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