Netanyahu Cancels the Meeting with German Foreign Minister

• 04.26.2017, 16:22
•  Europe,  Near East,  World

EPA

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a meeting with Germany’s foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel, who insisted on talking with Israeli citizen groups that accuse the army of violating Palestinian human rights, Bloomberg reports.

Netanyahu called off the meeting after Sigmar Gabriel refused to skip a discussion with Breaking the Silence and B’Tselem.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu will not meet with those who lend legitimacy to organizations that call for the criminalization of Israeli soldiers," his office said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

In his turn, Sigmar Gabriel, who was in Israel to participate in Holocaust memorial day activities Monday, said it was "not a catastrophe" to miss the meeting with Netanyahu and the issue wouldn’t affect bilateral relations.

"It surprised me that the visit was canceled," he told reporters Tuesday, describing meetings with civil society groups as "quite usual" parts of his diplomatic visits. "I think we mustn’t become part of the domestic policy game in Israel."

However, a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin went ahead as planned.