BBC has reported that Iran could face new sanctions if it does not show a willingness to negotiate on its nuclear programme, the German chancellor has said. Merkel was speaking after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Berlin. She also called on Israel to freeze its settlement construction for the sake of progress in peace talks. In London on Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu suggested Israel was close to an agreement on settlements. During his visit to Germany, the Israeli prime minister has also been given original blueprints of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. | 
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| The plans, which date from 1941-2, were found in a Berlin flat last year and include technical drawings for a gas chamber and crematorium - a symbol of the difficult history which connects Germany with the Jewish state created after the Nazi Holocaust. "If there is no positive answer by September we will have to consider further measures," said Mrs Merkel. Speaking at a press conference after their talks, Mr Netanyahu called for "crippling sanctions" against Iran to stop its disputed nuclear programme. "It is possible to put real pressure, real economic pressure, on this regime if the major powers of the world unite," he said. On the settlement issue, Mrs Merkel said a freeze in construction would push forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace process."Progress on the issue of settlements - a freeze on settlements - is an important building block and a prerequisite for a restart of the Middle East peace process," said Mrs Merkel. Chancellor Merkel has shown herself a staunch supporter of Israel and received a standing ovation in parliament last year when she pledged that her country would stand by Israel's side against any threat. But, says the BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Berlin, she is ready to criticize when she sees fit. We do not understand why western nations and leaders mostly speak in same vein about Iran and Israel.Chancel0or did not raise the issue of Israeli nukes at all but threatened Iran with actions in line with other western nations.Israel is a horribly bad state, never gave any importance to solving Palestinian state issue. Why freeze on settlements, why not their dismantling? This is clear violation of international law, even US or Britain did not make such settlements in their occupied territories in their colonial period. Why they should not go back to pre-1967 border, why so much negotiation is needed for that. In each issue in Palestinian question, we find Israel and the West responsible for failure to solve this issue.There is no point in pleasing Israel by warning Iran of sanctions. We know West has no ear to hear all these. But we know in the end Israel can not get its illegal demands. . . . | |
