2nd incident between Israeli F-16s and German navy

Defense | 29.10.2006

Israeli Jets Trouble German Troops on UN Mission

Germany's defense ministry confirmed on Sunday there had been another incident between Israeli jets and the German navy patrolling Lebanon's coast. Defense Minister Jung plans to visit the Middle East this week.

The incident occurred on Thursday night involving a helicopter belonging to the German navy and Israeli F16 bombers. According to a report in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, several Israeli jets had forced the German helicopter to give way.

German Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung played down the incident. One couldn't speak of a "confrontation with Israeli soldiers," he said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

A German defense ministry spokesman said the incident had not been dangerous or threatening. The Israeli military leadership had promised there would be no more such occurrences, the spokesman added.

Case closed?

"There were certain incidents, which we discussed with Israel in the appropriate manner," Jung told the FAZ. "I view the case thus as closed," he said.

Germany's defense minister said the case was closed

Germany was taken by surprise by the most recent incident, as Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz recently smoothed over ruffled feathers after a confrontation on Tuesday between Israeli aircraft and a German vessel patrolling Lebanon's coast.

According to the German version of events, Israeli jets had flown very low over the German ship and fired two shots. A German helicopter that took off after the shots were fired was forced to land by the jets.



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