Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday refused to meet with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel after the latter refused his demand not to meet with two Israeli civil-society groups, local media reported.
“Netanyahu was upset that Gabriel refused to comply with his ultimatum not to meet with Breaking the Silence and B’tselem,” Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth quoted a government spokesperson as saying in reference to the two Israeli NGOs.
Earlier the same day, Gabriel had responded to Netanyahu’s threat by saying that it would be "regrettable" if the planned meetings were canceled, noting that it was standard procedure to meet with local civil society groups during diplomatic visits.
The German FM also told Germany’s ZDF television channel that -- were the situation reverse -- it would be "unthinkable" for German officials to prohibit Netanyahu from meeting organizations critical of the German government.
Nevertheless, on Tuesday evening, Gabriel met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
One day before Gabriel's scheduled meeting with Israeli human rights groups B'Tselem and Breaking the Silence (the latter of which is composed of former Israeli soldiers opposed to the Israeli occupation), Netanyahu had threatened to retaliate by canceling his own scheduled meeting with Gabriel.
Over the course of the last year, Israeli anti-occupation groups have faced mounting pressure from the government and right-wing organizations, with social-media campaigns accusing them of pursuing “foreign agendas” and a law being passed obliging them to disclose any foreign funding.