Israel Would Welcome German Soldiers

The world is a crazy place:

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would welcome the participation of German soldiers in a stabilization force in South Lebanon, he said in an interview with a German newspaper published on Friday.

"I have informed (German) Chancellor Angela Merkel that we have absolutely no problem having German troops in South Lebanon," Olmert told the daily Suddeutsche Zeitung.

"There is no other nation that Israel considers more of a friend that Germany ... I would be very happy if Germany participated," he said.

The German government has not ruled out sending troops to the Middle East but many citizens are uneasy about sending soldiers to the region.

Those in Germany opposed to the deployment of German troops along the Israeli border say they fear it would hurt the feelings of Holocaust survivors and that the troops would find it difficult to be impartially (sic) and operate against Israel if necessary.

But Olmert said he does not consider this to be problematic. "Why would German troops need to fire at Israelis for? They would be part of a force operating to defend Israel. There is no nation acting in a friendlier manner towards Israel than Germany," he said.