Germany won’t sanction Israel over annexation – Jerusalem official
Berlin won’t cause ‘major upset’ despite stressing move would harm relations, source says ahead of visit by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas
Germany will not respond harshly to Israel’s planned unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank, a diplomatic official in Jerusalem said Monday.
While annexation would likely cause a certain degree of damage to bilateral ties, Berlin has made plain that it does not plan to enact sanctions against the Jewish state or recognize a Palestinian state, the official said.
“Germany will not go off the deep end,” he added, speaking to Israeli reporters on conditions of anonymity. “The Germans are not in favor of sanctions, and will not recognize a Palestinian state. They are pragmatic. Their main goal is to guarantee [regional] stability. They don’t want to cause a major upset. Rather, they are going to look for ways to encourage us and the Palestinians to return to talks.”
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is due in Israel on Wednesday for a meeting with his counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi. Berlin is staunchly opposed to annexation and has made its view unmistakably clear.
“But the way, I know the Germans — their response will likely be more in the area of atmosphere,” the official said. “They will become less open to listen to us and our worries, and it may become more difficult for us to get them to help us in various arenas.”
Germany can also be expected to orient its response to annexation to Israel’s neighbors, the official went on. “If they see that Jordan’s and Egypt’s reactions will be less harsh than expected, the Germans will be more forgiving as well.” But even in the worst-case scenario of violence and Jordan canceling its peace agreement with Israel, the Germans will remain moderate in their response, the official said.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/germany-wont-sanction-israel-over-annexation-jerusalem-official/