German Defense Ministry Rules out Mid-East Troop Deployment

"I don't see such a thing happening," Christian Schmidt, secretary of state at the defence ministry, said in comments published in Saturday's edition of the Stuttgarter Zeitung

newspaper.

"Our political possibilities are outside the military field," he said.

"I am impressed by the level of trust that the (Israeli) prime minister has shown us. But I don't think that we will be able to build a strong mandate, both on a political level and regarding the capacity of the Bundeswehr (German army)," Schmidt explained.

In Friday's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert called for Germany to participate in an international military force, which is supposed to be deployed to help the Lebanese army gain effective control over southern Lebanon and prevent future Hezbollah attacks on Israel.

"I would like German soldiers to participate," Olmert said. "I told Chancellor Angela Merkel that we have absolutely no problem with the presence of German troops in south Lebanon," he was quoted as saying.

Weight of history

Germany is split over the use of its army to keep apart Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, whose conflict has killed hundreds, mainly civilians, in the last three weeks.

Some politicians claim it would be impossible for German troops to fire on Israeli forces if necessary, given Germany's persecution of Europe's Jews during its Nazi past.

Last weekend, Merkel said it was unlikely that Germany would send troops to the Middle East as its army already participated in many operations around the world.