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Israeli and German Presidents Meet and Tour

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President Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin met with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, over the weekend on the occasion of Steinmeier’s three-day visit to Jerusalem. Rivlin’s warm welcome followed the diplomatic squabble that took place two weeks ago between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over the latter’s meeting with Breaking the Silence.  

“I was not at all surprised that you, as a true of friend of Israel, chose Israel as your first visit outside of Europe,” Rivlin told Steinmeier during their visit to Yad Vashem.

“We appreciate Germany’s leadership in the recent period in the defense of democracy and democratic values around the world and in Europe especially,” Rivlin continued. “We all know that democracy is a condition for liberty, while liberty will never be a thing of simplicity.”

President Rivlin addressed the UNESCO executive board resolution passed on Israel’s 69th Independence Day, which called the Jewish state an “occupier in Jerusalem” and denied its sovereignty over the city.

“Israel is a vibrant democracy, with different, diverse, and critical voices,” said Rivlin. “We reject the latest decision of UNESCO, which defines Israel as an occupying power in Jerusalem, our capital, in which you are standing right now, Mr. President.”

“A people cannot be an occupier in its own land. We are not occupiers in our own capital. We welcome Germany’s opposition to the distorted and twisted text of this decision,” concluded President Rivlin.

Rivlin’s remarks echoed the statements he made to foreign diplomats on the day of the UNESCO resolution when he asked the international community to “put an end to the absurd” denial of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and further called upon all foreign delegations to move their embassies to Jerusalem.

President Steinmeier’s visit began with a tour of the Mahane Yehuda Market together with President Rivlin, a tasting of some Israeli craft beers, and a tour of the graffiti art gallery created in the market by artist Solomon Souza. Following his visit to Yad Vashem on Sunday, the German President paid his respects to former President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres at Mount Herzl.

Steinmeier is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday afternoon.

 By: Ilana Messika
(TPS)

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