Iran tops agenda of joint Israel-Germany cabinet session
Netanyahu: A regime that oppresses its people cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons.
By Assaf Uni Tags: Germany Israel newsGermany is ready to pursue further economic sanctions on Iran, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin on Monday.
"We have made it clear that if the reaction of Iran does not change, we will cooperate in the preparation of wide-ranging sanctions ... preferably within the framework of a UN Security Council resolution," she said.
Merkel, who advocated the immediate implication of "crippling sanctions" on Tehran, was speaking during a historic joint meeting of the two countries' cabinets in the German capital.
Netanyahu also commented on Iran's refusal to dismantle its contentious nuclear program, saying that "a regime that oppresses its people ... cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons."
Merkel said that in coming weeks her government would consult with other nations prepared to push for sanctions against Tehran.
"We have repeatedly made the offer to Iran for a transparent cooperation. Unfortunately they have not taken it," she said.
Netanyahu had been accompanied to the joint cabinet session earlier Monday- only the second ever to take place, and the first on German soil - by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
In total around ten ministers from each government are expected to take part in the talks.
"The joint government consultations are a very special event. Germany only conducts such meetings with a very few partners," government spokesman Christoph Steegmans said ahead of the Merkel- Netanyahu meeting.
Prior to the noontime meeting, Netanyahu held talks with Merkel and took a tour of a memorial situated near the Brandenburg Gate in honor of European Jewry murdered during the Holocaust. The prime minister was also expected to visit the Jewish Museum in Berlin and to meet with the speaker of the Bundestag during his visit.
The two sides are expected to discuss security issues - including the potential for further sanctions on Iran - as well as development projects and environmental topics, the spokesman said.
"The prime minister and Chancellor Merkel will of course hold a series of meetings relating to our region, to the peace process, and to the gorilla always in the room, the Iranian matter of course," Israel's Ambassador to Germany Yoram Ben Zeev, told Israel Radio 9 on Monday.
High on the agenda at the meeting will also be Israeli plans to buy a German-built Dolphin class submarine, as well as two missile boats, at a total cost of around a billion euros. The last decade has seen Germany become the main supplier of equipment to the Israeli navy, which already operates three German Dolphins.
Foreign analysts say the submarine is capable of launching ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads. (Israel operates a policy of 'nuclear ambiguity' but is widely believed to have atomic weapons.)
Two of the crafts are now under construction in Germany and are expected to be sold to Israel in the coming years. Over the past months the two allies have also held talks over the sale to Israel of a sixth Dolphin, as well as two 'stealth' missile boats.
Both Israel's Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, and the Defense Ministry Director General, Pinhas Buchris, have visited Germany in the past three months to discuss weapons sales.
Germany and Israel established diplomatic ties in 1965, 20 years after the end of the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were deliberately murdered by the Nazi regime.
"I think that Germany today, without much effort, can be considered the country closest to Israel in Europe, and maybe in general," he added.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was received by his German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle, at Germany's foreign ministry.
The joint cabinet meeting had been originally scheduled for November, but had been postponed at the last minute when Netanyahu fell ill.
The first German-Israeli cabinet meeting was held in Jerusalem in March 2008, when Merkel traveled to Israel at the head of a ministerial visit and addressed the Knesset.
Netanyahu had been scheduled to travel to Berlin in late November, but the trip was canceled due to illness.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin on Monday. |
| Photo by: (Getty) |
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"I think that Germany today, without much effort, can be considered the country closest to Israel in Europe, and maybe in general," he added. Yeah, there are thousands of people living below the poverty line in both countries.
Israel leadership is making Israel look so stupid and out of touch, I can't believe this!!!
Israel oppresses its own people. I'm not talking about the Galilians. I'm talking about the people in Gaza and the West Bank who should be included in the state if Israel wishes to occupy those areas for more than 40 years.
seems like life is Gaza is much better than portrayed.
"a regime that oppresses its people ... cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons." This goes for Israel not Iran.
No one is permitted to make nuclear weapons. Not being an NPT member does not mean certain attack. Look at Israel, North Korea, India, and Pakistan; no one attacks their nuke sites. No war is ever justified. People create wars to satisfy their own agenda.
anyone here or anywhere who suggests iran should have nukes because others have nukes is either crazy or an anti semite. giving nukes to iran is like giving matches to an arsonist. wake up people..israel has RESPONSABLY had nukes for near 50yrs...I am quite certain the iranians or any other arab country would not have been nearly as responsible. side note: chemical ali's 4th sentencing PROVES iraq had wmd's. bush was right and so were 37 other countries.
Do as you would have others do unto you. Israel is in exactly the same position as Iran On non-declaration of nuclear sites, So what is good for the goose?
sid mayers civilization 13 and now it is the end.
Nuclear Iran means danger to at least 10 million Arabs around Israel. Are you ready to sacrifice your own children just to see Israel disappear?
The two most important questions facing mankind today. One, would the world be a safer place with Iran having nukes? and Two, how do you prevent Iran from obtaining nukes? To the first question, of course the world not be safer. Iran oppresses its own people and Iran sponsor's terrorists groups around the world. The second question is more difficult. But at the end of the day the answer must be by any means necessary.
Germany and Israel! To that I propose a toast: "Es lebe die Freiheit; es lebe der Wein."
Stating that Iran should not have nuclear weapons because they oppress their people sounds a lot like George Bush lamenting the oppression of the Iraqis by Saddam Hussein. We know Bush could give a rats patooti about the Iraqi people. Plus Israel has to go down in history as one of the most oppressive states in the history of mankind. Who else in history has constructed a prison as large as Gaza and imprisoned hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. Not only that depriving them of the necessities of normal living. The fact is that Israel does not want any country in the region to have a deterrent capability sufficient to make Israeli warriors reconsider some of their activities in the region.
"a regime that oppresses its people ... " bad. So what's worthy of a regime that has, and continues to oppress the former inhabitants of the land it stole from them?
Benjamin Netanyahu King of oppressors just does not want the Iranian dictators to knock him off the top spot.Israel and Iran fight for the top spot on the pariah state league ,who will come out on top The Israelis look to be winning buy a nose with cast lead but Iran is fighting back by attacking its own people .Enough with the teasing ,Iran does like Jews they protect their own Jewish population ,It seams to hate Israel only.If Bibi attacks Iran he could be very well hurting Jews
This is a big lie. China oppressed its people and was "allowed" to have Nukes. The former Soviet Union oppressed its people and was "allowed" to have many nukes. Israel tormented and still torments the Palestinians and was "allowed" to have nukes. India and Pakistan were also "allowed" to have Nukes. And Iran will be allowed to have Nukes willy nilly, even if all Jews in the world commit suicide.
Netanyahu also commented on Iran's refusal to dismantle its contentious nuclear program, saying that "a regime that oppresses its people ... cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons." That's not as true as the IDF bombing and killing palestininas, is it?
stop like in seconds from east to west and north to south.
Netanyahu is right; a regime that oppresses its people should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. Like it or not not, de facto Israel extends from the Mediterranean to the Jordan; therefore all of the people within those de facto borders are its people. And half of them are being oppressed. Those Palestinians within the 67 borders less so, but still treated as second class citizens. Israel has killed and imprisoned far more people within its borders , including women and children, than has Iran. So neither should be allowed to have nuclear weapons and Israel must give theirs up now - just like Libya and South Africa.
... in Iran just like the original Islamists of Saudi Arabia denounce their Persian converts to militant Shia Islam.
talking about isreal??
As israeli I felt oppressed many times, I couldn't express my political view openly for fear. Active politically students in Israel are called for questioning with the Shabak and always universities make committes to expel arab or left-wing students. Journalists are attacked periodically in West Bank,etc. Why do u have nuclear bombs?, your government sent us police to beat students when we asked cheaper prices for education, many students were injured and detained.
That's rich, coming from Netanyahu! Neither should a regime that oppresses others be able to have nuclear weapons!
''A country that oppresses its people cannot have nuclear weapons''. By extension that would also include a country that oppresses another people under its suzerainity. Both Israel and Iran should renounce their nuclear weapons.
for hasbara
What a badly written article: "The joint cabinet meeting had been originally scheduled for November, but had been postponed at the last minute when Netanyahu fell ill." "Netanyahu had been scheduled to travel to Berlin in late November, but the trip was canceled due to illness. " ok thank you: we got it. ""I think that Germany today, without much effort, can be considered the country closest to Israel in Europe, and maybe in general," he added." who is "he" still Steegmans?
People would have protested without precedence. Ronald Reagans "security" was minimal comaped to this.
too bad the jews are taking out what happened to them by the germans on the palestinians. shouldn't nutenyaho be punching her or something, or maybe a good home demolition for the good chancelor
If you saw the meeting between Putin & Erdogan, Clinton & Bush & Obama and now Merkel & Netanyahu: everywhere lot's of smiley. Looks like it was a funny week...
What every happened to never to forgive and never to forget? Does Israel need the sympathy of those who once seeked to destroy it? This relationship is one out of pity in my opinion...Israel needs no such thing. I have a bitter taste in my mouth just looking at them.
Before the inevitable rave of talkbackers start to post their criticism of this they need to stop and think. This is a great honour and a show of true friendship from Germany who have become one of the only countries in Europe we can call a friend. Imagine the Israel haters of the Brown government or others in Norway etc inviting our leaders for a shared cabinet meeting? I applaud it and welcome it.