German Chancellor Merkel with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Photo: Facebook.

JNS.org – In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her government’s opposition to boycotts of Israel.

“We do not support the demands for a boycott,” said Merkel, who was on a two-day visit to Israel. “This is not an option for Germany.”

Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, Merkel said Israel’s risk “is real and not simply abstract.”

“Iran declared that it would destroy Israel, and while its tone has changed recently, the actions to prove so are still missing,” Merkel said. “Iran will not have nuclear weapons. There must not be a threat to Israel, to Europe and to the rest of the world. We have a diplomatic opportunity to act, but we must ensure that Iran stands by its commitments.”