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We must “overcome” world terror, Rivlin tells Merkel
Israel’s President and the German Chancellor discussed the threat of global terror facing both countries and the international community yesterday.
In an extended working meeting on the final day of the President’s visit to Germany, the two discussed the threat posed to their respective countries by ISIS, Hezbollah and other extremist groups.
Reuven Rivlin said that “Hezbollah’s weapons infrastructure will force Israel to react”. He expressed Israel’s concerns regarding Iran and Hezbollah’s increasing grip on Syria and Lebanon and told Angela Merkel that Hezbollah’s activities violated UN Security Council resolutions and endangered the local population. Iran has the potential to “sink the whole region into war,” he added.
Rivlin’s comments came on the same day that Israeli media reported that Israel bombed a Syrian chemical weapons facility associated with April’s chemical weapon attack in Khan Sheikhun that killed more than 80 people.
Reflecting on this, the President also said that “the goal that has been set by the world to overcome” global terrorism and stressed that “Israel will help in any efforts to realize this goal”.
At the close of the meeting, Rivlin and Merkel discussed bilateral relations between Israel and Germany, with the President expressing his hope “that this commitment between the two countries will continue regardless of the coalition make up in either country”.
Relations between Germany and Israel were hit by a diplomatic incident in April, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a meeting with Germany’s foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel. Netanyahu informed him of his decision after Gabriel confirmed he intended to meet the NGOs Breaking the Silence and B’tselem, seen by many in Israel as using their role as human rights watchdogs as a premise for demonising the state of Israel.
Gabriel later stressed the continued strong relations between the two countries, saying: “You can absolutely be sure we are committed to the friendship, the partnership and the special relationship with Israel and nothing will change this.”