A former Israeli ambassador to Germany cast doubt on speculation that Germany supplying Egypt with two submarines would considerably change German-Israeli relations, the German news agency DPA reported Monday.
“More important is that Israel gets the German Dolphin submarines that can carry nuclear warheads,” former Ambassador Avi Primor said. “It is the only real defense we have against Iran.”
On Sunday, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli government sources said the deal would affect the two countries’ relations.
A German government spokesperson, Steffan Seibert denied that, stressing that Germany was dedicated to Israeli security.
Major General Osama al-Guindy, commander of the Egyptian Navy, had told the state-run newspaper Al-Ahram newspaper on Friday that Egypt and Germany signed an agreement for two Model 209 Submarines, which Yedioth Ahronoth said raised Israeli fears of a declining military edge.
“Egypt gets weapons from the United States, our greatest ally, and we do not say anything to that,” Primor added.
