Sigmar Gabriel
Sigmar GabrielReuters

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet with German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel during his upcoming visit to Israel.

Gabriel will arrive in Israel at the end of the month to take part in a conference of the Institute for National Security Studies, during which he is scheduled to meet with the prime minister in Jerusalem.

Last April, Netanyahu canceled a meeting with Gabriel after the Vice Chancellor, who also serves as German’s Foreign Minister, met leftist activists from Breaking the Silence.

Gabriel later defended his meeting with the leftists, arguing that it was the obligation of “members of democratic societies” to meet with opponents of government policy.

“Not only does the policy of settlements violate international law and manifest an obstacle to peace, but it is controversial in Israel. It goes without saying that I will listen to its opponents,” he said.

Gabriel received the backing of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said she often meets civil society groups during her foreign travels, adding the dispute "changes nothing in our conviction that support for the state of Israel is part of our raison d'etat."