Germany’s president will not meet with Breaking the Silence during his upcoming trip to Israel, Spiegel Online reports.
Instead, Frank-Walter Steinmeier will deliver a speech about the danger to democracy, in which he will praise the controversial NGO. He is expected to quote from a recent speech Amos Oz delivered at the same venue, in which the famed Israeli novelist heaped massive praise on the organization.
However, Steinmeier plans to meet other leftist civil society organizations, his spokesperson told Spiegel Online.
Last month, Prime Minister Netanyahu snubbed German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel because the latter refused to cancel his meeting with Breaking the Silence. Netanyahu subsequently declared that he will not meet with dignitaries who legitimize groups that call for Israelis soldiers to be tried as war criminals.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel before his meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, April 25, 2017. /Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
— Raphael Ahren
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
