Israeli officials who asked to remain anonymous said there were several factors which led to the German decision to give Israel the grant despite the criticism over the failure in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the continued construction in the settlements. One official said Lieberman deserves most of the credit, for forging close cooperation with Steinmeier, who pushed to advance the deal in Germany. “Lieberman dealt with the issue incessantly,” the official said. “He played a very positive part and managed to enlist many German officials to advance the issue.” Another official said Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s visit in Berlin for talks with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was extremely helpful in advancing the deal in its last stages. Lapid also met Heusgen and told him he was trying to restrain Israel’s money transfers to the settlements. Another official said the Germans understood that the missile boats were a vital security necessity for Israel. Cohen, who held talks with Heusgen and other German officials, told them there was a real threat that Hezbollah would attack the gas rigs. Moreover, the deal was worth hundreds of millions of euros for the German economy and for shipyards which employ thousands of workers. The initial German refusal to give the discount made Israel examine the possibility of purchasing the boats from South Korea. Eventually, the Germans understood they too have an interest in promoting the deal and in putting the discount back on the table. What finally swung the deal was Merkel’s personal commitment to Israel’s security, a Foreign Ministry official said. Though she has a lot of criticism, when its come to Israeli security she puts it all aside, said the official. “This deal will strengthen Israel’s strategic ties with Germany for the next 20 years,” he said.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 12:58:55 +0000
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