Israel’s Ambassador to West Germany, Itzchak Ben Ari, has accused Deputy Foreign Minister Juergen Moellemann of harming prospects for negotiations in the Middle East by urging the European nations to put pressure on Israel for concessions that would bring Jordan to the peace table.
Ben Ari’s remarks, published in a Die West interview today, appeared less than a week before Chancellor Helmut Kohl is scheduled to leave on an official visit to Israel. Diplomats here said it was unusual for an envoy to so sharply criticize a member of the government. Moellemann is president of the German-Arab Friendship Association and the most outspoken critic of Israel on the Bonn political scene.
Ben Air expressed hopes that Moellemann’s statements would be seen in Jerusalem as a one-sided reflection of Arab interests and not part of the dialogue between West Germany and Israel. He added that he hoped they would not damage the prospects for fruitful dialogue between Kohl and Israeli leaders next week.
According to Ben Ari, Israel’s “Arab neighbors, and notably Jordan, have been taking the unrealistic stance that the Europeans and Americans can pull their chestnuts out of the fire for them. Amman is therefore sticking to its line of refraining from peace talks with Israel.”
Moellemann has no contacts with Israeli diplomats in Bonn. Although he accompanied Kohl on his recent visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, he is not accompanying him to Israel.
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