- Aiwanger postpones his trip to Israel
Bavaria's Economic Minister Hubert Aiwanger has postponed his planned trip to Israel for the coming days due to security concerns. The trip will be rescheduled "as soon as the situation in the Middle East has calmed down," the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Munich announced.
Originally, the Free Voter politician was supposed to lead a Bavarian economic delegation there today to meet, among others, his Israeli counterpart Nir Barkat. A visit to the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem and a meeting with relatives of Israeli Hamas hostages were also planned until the return on Friday.
Aiwanger: Safety first
"The postponement of the delegation's trip to Israel due to the current military conflict is regrettable, but the safety of the participants, for whom I am responsible, comes first," Aiwanger said, according to a statement from the ministry. "We will reschedule the trip as soon as it is possible. Bavaria stands by Israel's side." The cooperation with the country is to be further strengthened.
The Israeli Consul General in Munich, Talya Lador-Fresher, had originally invited Aiwanger to the trip. The economic relations between Bavaria and Israel are "very significant for both sides," she explained the initiative.
The postponement of the trip was primarily driven by the minister's concern for the safety of the delegation members. Bavaria's commitment to Israel remains unwavering, and they aim to reschedule the trip once the situation becomes more stable.
