WASHINGTON – German Chancellor Angela Merkel canceled her planned visit to Israel next week because of the crisis in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Thursday.
Merkel told Prime Minister Naftali Bennett she needed to stay in Germany to oversee the evacuation of soldiers from Afghanistan, it said in a statement.
Bennett said he understood and expressed hope that the evacuation would end peacefully. He invited Merkel to visit another time.
Merkel had planned to meet with Bennett in Jerusalem and participate in Sunday’s cabinet meeting.
She is set to step down later this year after 16 years in office. An election for her replacement will take place on September 26.