Israel in historic meeting to mark Holocaust

Israel's cabinet has convened for the first time in Berlin, in a joint meeting with the German cabinet to symbolise the nations' strong bond 60 years after the Holocaust.

The focus, though, was not on threats gone by but on one that may loom in the future — the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran.

After the joint session, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Iran will face new sanctions if it doesn't change course on its nuclear program.

Netanyahu used the occasion to highlight the gravity of the Iranian threat.

"We know from recent history that a regime that tyrannizes its own people will tyrannize the world," he said.

Germany's efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions figured high on the agenda, and Merkel said her country would back tougher sanctions against Iran if it did not curtail its nuclear program.

"If Iran's reactions don't change, we will help work on comprehensive sanctions," Merkel said.

Germany has long been part of the group of nations seeking to address concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions, which Israel and most of the West believe is meant to develop weapons. Israel considers a nuclear Iran a threat to its existence and has hinted it might attack Iran if international diplomacy fails. More

US army to double weapons stockpiled in Israel
The US military plans to double the amount of military equipment it has stockpiled in Israel under a recent agreement with Tel Aviv.

"The deal will double the value of military equipment kept on Israeli soil from 400 million to 800 million dollars," a Pentagon spokesman, Major Shawn Turner told AFP.

He ruled out the notion that Iran's nuclear issue was a major factor for the agreement and said that the US Congress initially authorized the expansion in 2007.

"This is not in any way related to Iran or the current situation as the authorization was from 2007," he stated.

Washington's staunch ally Israel could have access to the weaponry in a military emergency.