Germany told Israel to expect “severe diplomatic damage” should it fail to attend a periodic human rights review Tuesday, Haaretz reports.
Israel severed ties with the UNHRC in March 2012 after it expressed concern over Israeli settlements. “On Friday, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle sent a personal letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that Israel’s failure to attend the Geneva-based Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review would cause the country severe diplomatic damage and Israel’s allies around the world would be hard-pressed to help it,” Haaretz newspaper reported Sunday.