BERLIN — A nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable, Germany’s new Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on his first official visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Guido Westerwelle, of the Free Democratic Party, also urged quick resumption of Middle East peace talks, with a two-state solution as the goal.

Speaking in Jerusalem on November 23 after meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, Westerwelle said: “Germany’s patience [with Iran] is not endless.”

Further sanctions against the Islamic Republic are possible, with or without the cooperation of other countries, he added.

Lieberman stressed the importance of international unity on the matter.

Westerwelle’s visit comes on the eve of the second annual German-Israel joint cabinet meeting — a unique program initiated in March 2008 by Chancellor Angela Merkel during her first official visit to Israel.

The meetings take place alternately in Israel and Germany.

During his visit this week, Westerwelle, who was sharply critical of Israel’s settlement policy in his recent opening address in Berlin as foreign minister, also met with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayad.

But he did not bring up the issue of settlements in public statements, according to the French news agency AFP.

The foreign minister also visited Israel’s Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem. According to reports, Westerwelle wrote in the guestbook: “We will not forget. Our responsibility remains — our friendship grows.”

Westerwelle met Israeli President Shimon Peres on November 24 in Jerusalem. Peres told Westerwelle that he would like to see German foreign policy become more positive on peace and negative on terror.

Peres said that pronouncements by Iranian President Ahmedjinidad calling for the destruction of Israel are unacceptable.

Westerwelle said that Germany shared Israel’s concern and had the same thoughts.
“For us it is absolutely clear that nuclear weapons in the hands of the government of Iran are not an acceptable option. And we have to work with dialogue or with sanctions if this dialogue doesn’t help,” he said.

“Not only for Israel, not only for the region, but I think it’s in the main interest of the whole international community.”

JTA AND ISRANET