This is 100% about the German elections next month and 0% about the substance of foreign policy. Merkel is drumming up votes from the Left.
The reality is that Germany is by far the EU’s largest exporter to Iran (I think it is also the largest exporter in the world to Iran). It is no secret that this is why Germany’s – and therefore the EU’s – response to Ahmajinejad has been so weak. It also goes further to explaining Merkel’s comments.
Ummm.. Germany, you don’t have the right to advise, chastise, admonish or even comment peevishly on Israel for the next 100 years because of a certain little matter in which you were involved in living memory. Sorry if it seems unfair, but, you know, you have a lot of points on your licence, so to speak. So shtum!
Shmuel
Ha ha! Good stuff.
22 August 2009 at 9:21 AM
Jonathan Hoffman
This is 100% about the German elections next month and 0% about the substance of foreign policy. Merkel is drumming up votes from the Left.
The reality is that Germany is by far the EU’s largest exporter to Iran (I think it is also the largest exporter in the world to Iran). It is no secret that this is why Germany’s – and therefore the EU’s – response to Ahmajinejad has been so weak. It also goes further to explaining Merkel’s comments.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1044837.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/bronwen_maddox/article6579517.ece
Bibi will put it far more eloquently…..
22 August 2009 at 9:54 AM
NM
Ummm.. Germany, you don’t have the right to advise, chastise, admonish or even comment peevishly on Israel for the next 100 years because of a certain little matter in which you were involved in living memory. Sorry if it seems unfair, but, you know, you have a lot of points on your licence, so to speak. So shtum!
22 August 2009 at 10:04 AM
Jonathan Hoffman
Sweden on the other hand – which has the Presidency of the EU until December – is far more even-handed in its Middle East policy
http://www.robinshepherdonline.com/sweden-runs-for-cover-as-foreign-ministry-refuses-to-condemn-anti-semitic-outrage/#comment-390
22 August 2009 at 11:52 AM
Brad Brzezinski
I believe this is being orchestrated by Obama. There was a sort of mass statement to the effect at the recent G8 meeting and even Canada went along.
It’s all the next step in something very unpleasant I fear.
24 August 2009 at 6:26 PM