German foreign minister cancels his Israel trip

The German foreign minister has cancelled his trip to Israel, scheduled for Thursday. The German opposition has requested that Frank-Walter Steinmeier remain in the country to take part in a special discussion over cooperation between the German Secret Service (BND) and the US Secret Service prior to the war in Iraq. Steinmeier was supposed to be in Israel to prepare for Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit, which was scheduled to take place in a week and a half.