The Israeli government warned Germany's foreign minister that if he visits Ramallah during a trip to the region this week, he would not be allowed into Israel without going into quarantine for 14 days first.
Heiko Maas was scheduled to meet with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah.
The move, which was denounced by Knesset member Tamar Zandberg, has also raised eyebrows inside the Hebrew state since the Ministry of Health in Tel Aviv did not take a decision to impose a quarantine on those entering Ramallah.
More so, many Israeli citizens and politicians enter the Palestinian city daily without being subject to any quarantine.
Meretz lawmaker Zandberg asked Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Tuesday to reverse the government's decision and allow Maas to visit the West Bank on his upcoming visit.
In a letter, Zandberg argued “there was an intention to sabotage his meetings with the Palestinian leadership, using the excuse that a visit to Ramallah will require him to quarantine in Israel… even though he was supposedly meant to do so upon his arrival from Germany.”
She called the decision “ridiculous” and called on Ashkenazi to allow Maas to visit the West Bank.
Maas, who arrived in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning, had decided to hold only video consultations with Palestinians to avoid two weeks if isolation in an Israeli coronavirus hotel.
The German Foreign Minister will leave from Tel Aviv to Amman to meet with Jordanian officials.
According to Israeli sources, "Germany, a friend and ally of Israel, decided to increase its intervention to stop the plan to annex portions of the West Bank, because this plan has negative consequences and harms all parties, and will not help to save the peace process."
These sources said that Germany decided to make clear to Israel and the US administration that the unilateral annexation of areas in the West Bank is an uncalculated adventure that could significantly undermine regional and international stability.
