Merkel's Israel visit rescheduled for October
Outgoing German chancellor postponed her originally schedule visit due to the situation in Afghanistan.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's last official visit to Israel has been rescheduled for October, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
Israel's government thanked Merkel for the relations she promoted between the countries.
The original itinerary had the government holding a special meeting in Merkel’s honor and afterward giving her a private tour of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. A new itinerary has yet to be published.
Merkel was originally scheduled to visit Israel at the beginning of the month, but postponed her visit due to the situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the country.
The chancellor is due to retire from politics following the September 26 elections in Germany.
Merkel called Bennett in June to congratulate him on the formation of a government and assuming office. At the time, Bennett invited Merkel to visit Israel.
While Germany and Israel are considered close allies, Merkel and former Prime MIinster Benjamin Netanyahu had some differences, mostly around the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Merkel has several times insisted that the “two-state solution” is the best way to end the Israel-PA conflict while criticizing Israel over its construction in Judea and Samaria.
At a Government-to-Government meeting in Berlin in December 2012, Merkel and Netanyahu “agreed to disagree” over Israeli construction in areas the PA claims for a future state.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Israel at the end of June, stressing support for the country and pledging to continue to fight against anti-Semitism in Germany.