Left advises Steinmeier against “mere friendly visit” to Israel

Ahead of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's visit to Israel, left-wing leader Jan van Aken is pushing for a significant distance from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “There must be no mere friendly visit to an internationally wanted war criminal like Netanyahu,” van Aken told the “Spiegel.” The left-wing leader also strictly rejects an invitation to Germany, for example from Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). “If Merz i…