Officials mum over report Berlin may renege on sub deal. Decision to sell advanced submarine is being reconsidered in light of Israel failure to move forward on talks with Palestinian Authority.
Defense officials have remained silent over a report that Germany could renege on its promise to sell Israel a Dolphin-class Navy submarine, due to Berlin's disapproval of Israeli construction in the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem.
According to the report, published on Wednesday in Yedioth Ahronoth, German diplomatic officials said the decision to sell the advanced submarine, which would join Israel's existing fleet of five submarines, was being reconsidered in light of the failure of the Netanyahu government to move forward on talks with the Palestinian Authority.
Defense officials in Israel said they could not comment on the report. Similarly, in an e-mail to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday , a spokesperson for Germany's Merkel Administration wrote, "There has been a long-standing discussion about cooperation regarding military armaments in the framework of talks between the Federal Chancellor and the Israeli Prime Minister. In connection with these talks, confidentiality has been agreed to. I would like to adhere to the confidentiality."
Channel 2 cited foreign media as saying that the submarine was supposed to join the strategic fleet of underwater vessels "that carry nuclear missiles on board."
Israel relies on its submarines to carry out long-range security missions far from Israel's borders. |