Netanyahu to Face Merkel Ire in Berlin on Settlement Plans
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Europe today to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel amid a wave of international criticism over plans to expand settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Germany joined with the U.S., the U.K. and France this week in condemning Netanyahu’s decision to give preliminary approval to the building of 3,000 new homes on land classified as Palestinian under United Nations resolutions. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said the move “shrinks the geographic space for a Palestinian state” and calls into question Israel’s readiness to negotiate peace.