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Israel - Germany

Netanyahu wants sanctions to halt Iran's nuclear development

Article published on the 2009-08-27 Latest update 2009-08-27 15:43 TU

Netanyahu looking at plans for Auschwitz in Germany, 27 August 2009(Photo: Reuters)

Netanyahu looking at plans for Auschwitz in Germany, 27 August 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday met with German Chancellor Merkel to discuss peace in the Middle East. After the talk Netanyahu called for "crippling sanctions" against Iran in a bid to stop its nuclear programme.  On the fourth day of his two-leg European tour, he also visited the villa in the outskirts of Berlin where in 1942, senior Nazis adopted the “final solution" for the eradication ofJews.

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About Iran, Netanyahu said "It's possible to put real pressure, real economic pressure, on this regime if the major powers of the world unite." Israel considers Iran to be its main foe given that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly said that Israel should be wiped off the map.

On the possibility of restarting peace talks with the Palestinians, Netanyahu expressed hope for a resumption in the near future.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu said there were still a number of issues to finalise in talks with the United States. He had agreed with US Middle East envoy, George Mitchell in a meeting in London that “meaningful talks must start with Palestinians,” but stopped short of agreeing to halt construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

In a joint statement, the US envoy and the Prime Minister said Israeli and US officials would meet next week in the United States to pursue efforts to revive the peace process.

The Israeli prime minister is under a lot of pressure as the international community broadly backs the US demand.

Germany has long been considered one of Israel’s strongest allies in Europe however a spokesperson in Berlin said Angela Merkel would press Netanyahu on settlements, “The German government believes that no Further settlements should be built in the occupied territories”.

Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested on Wednesday the possibility of Paris convening a new summit of the Mediterranean Union by the end of the year on condition Israel freezes all settlement activity in the Palestinian territories.