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Germany’s Merkel Brings Cabinet to Israel


German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Israel with most of her cabinet on Monday against the backdrop of a conventional wisdom that says relations between Israel and its closest ally in Europe are even more strained than is apparent. Merkel offered the expected diplomatic rhetoric espousing the closeness of the two governments during her remarks at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, but left it to her foreign minister to bell the cat. Before leaving Spain for Israel, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the German delegation will discuss the peace process and make clear that the Merkel government sees Israel’s policies regarding building in areas it acquired in the 1967 war as “disruptive of peace efforts,” an issue believed to be souring the overall Germany-Israel alliance. Merkel’s deputy has accused Israel of practicing apartheid and is not participating in the trip that includes an annual joint session of the two governments.