20/06/2010 The German government on Sunday slammed Israel for preventing its development minister, Dirk Niebel, from entering the Gaza Strip to visit the Palestinian territory during his trip to the region.
"Refusing a German development minister entry to the Gaza Strip is a great foreign policy mistake on the part of the Israeli government," Niebel told the online edition of the daily Leipziger Volkszeitung.
"I am saddened that Israel is making it so difficult for its truest friend to understand its actions." Niebel wanted Sunday to visit Hamas-run Gaza in order to meet representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA).
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement in Berlin that he also "regretted" the decision by the Israeli government, and underlined that Germany and the European Union want to see an end to the Gaza blockade.
German minister barred from Gaza visit
Press TV
Sun, 20 Jun 2010 03:21:08 GMT
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German Development Aid Minister Dirk Niebel |
Israel has refused to allow German Development Aid Minister Dirk Niebel to visit the besieged Gaza Strip in order to inspect a sewage plant financed by Germany.
A German ministry spokesman, objecting to the Israeli move, said later on Saturday that talks over Niebel's visit to the Palestinian areas were still underway.
"Sometimes the Israeli government does not make it easy for its friends to explain why it behaves the way it does," Niebel told the German ZDF TV network program "heute" (today).
He further added that Israel's latest announcement on easing the Gaza siege was "not sufficient" and that Tel Aviv must "now deliver" on its pledge.
Beyond that, Israel should be "clear" about how, within an international context, it wants to "cooperate with its friends in the future as well," the German minister of the liberal Free Democratic Party said.
Earlier Saturday, the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that the German parliament, with the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government, is to issue a cross-party demand that Israel allow the passage of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip by sea.
FTP/MTM/HRF
A German ministry spokesman, objecting to the Israeli move, said later on Saturday that talks over Niebel's visit to the Palestinian areas were still underway.
"Sometimes the Israeli government does not make it easy for its friends to explain why it behaves the way it does," Niebel told the German ZDF TV network program "heute" (today).
He further added that Israel's latest announcement on easing the Gaza siege was "not sufficient" and that Tel Aviv must "now deliver" on its pledge.
Beyond that, Israel should be "clear" about how, within an international context, it wants to "cooperate with its friends in the future as well," the German minister of the liberal Free Democratic Party said.
Earlier Saturday, the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that the German parliament, with the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government, is to issue a cross-party demand that Israel allow the passage of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip by sea.
FTP/MTM/HRF
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