Center for German and European studies opens in Haifa

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier opened a center for German and European studies at the University of Haifa on Tuesday.

Steinmeier told students and professors the center was intended to cement cooperation with Israeli insitutions and provide detailed knowledge of modern Germany and Europe.

It is the second German Center in Israel after the one established at Jerusalem's Hebrew University in March. The University of Haifa was formed in 1963 and today counts 17,000 students.

Steinmeier, who was winding up a tour of the Middle East, also called for the establishment of a German school to serve as a meeting point for German and Israeli children as well as those of other nationalities.

On Sunday, Steinmeier visited Lebanon and then travelled to the Palestinian territories where he met with President Mahmoud Abbas and inspected German aid projects.

He was due to travel to Tel Aviv later Tuesday and attend an opera performance in the evening with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.