German embassy denies report that Merkel weighed canceling visit
By JULIANE HELMHOLDGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Germany Embassy on Wednesday denied an Army Radio report that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has considered canceling her visit to Israel over Israeli plans to demolish the illegal West Bank Bedouin herding village of Khan al-Ahmar.German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a number of her ministers are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday evening for a government-to-government meeting that was postponed for nearly a year and a half because of disagreements over Israel’s settlement policies and approach to the Palestinians.A German Embassy spokesperson denied the Army Radio report, stating that Merkel had not considered canceling the visit any point.B"Tselem at the proposed relocation site of Khan al-Ahmar, August 15, 2018 (Tovah Lazaroff)“There was never any doubt that the government-to-government consultations would take place," she said.A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that he was “not aware” of threats by Merkel to cancel if Khan al-Ahmar is evacuated.Bedouin children of the encampment held a press conference Tuesday appealing to Merkel to stop the planned eviction, which is expected to be enforced soon.Last month the High Court of Justice ruled that there was no legal impediment to demolishing the village or its adjacent school.Two weeks ago, the IDF asked Bedouin residents of Khan al-Ahmar to start demolishing their village which is located off of Route 1, between Jerusalem and Jericho.Generally, the government-to-government meetings of the type that Merkel is scheduled to take part in have little substantive importance, however, they are significant for their symbolism.Such meetings are held regularly by countries that want to show their relationship is particularly close.In addition to Germany, Israel holds these talks regularly with countries such as the Czech Republic, Romania, Greece and Italy.A crisis with the US was triggered in 2010 when Israel announced plans to build in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Jerusalem beyond the 1967 lines during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden, and – aware of sharp Germany and EU opposition to the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar – it is unlikely that Jerusalem would enforce the evacuation order before or during Merkel's visit.Herb Keinon and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.
