Meets Israel chief rabbis, notes Germany is least anti-Semitic European country.
By MATTHEW WAGNERyona metzger hat 298.88(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])
German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised to do everything in her power to secure the release of all three Israeli soldiers being held by Hizbullah and Hamas, during a meeting Sunday in Berlin with Israeli Chief Rabbis Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar.
Merkel, who is also the president of the European Union, presented the rabbis with a
survey that showed that Germany had the lowest level of anti-Semitism of all European countries.
Merkel said that as president of the European Union, she has set as a goal the combating of anti-Semitism among members of EU member states, said a chief rabbinate spokesman.
Merkel also acquiesced to the request of the two chief rabbis not to recognize the Palestinian coalition government until Hamas frees kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit, recognizes Israel and stops terrorist attacks against Israel.
The two chief rabbis also discussed the Iranian nuclear threat with Merkel.
Merkel said that as a daughter of a priest, she was very receptive to religious-based solutions to conflict resolution.
![yona metzger hat 298.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski [file])](https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/q_auto/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/5256 "yona metzger hat 298.88")