After 'Post' report, German bank will not close Israeli website's account

Israel Today states on its website that it “is a Jerusalem news agency that brings local news from a biblical and objective perspective.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL
A statue is pictured next to the logo of Germany's Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. (photo credit: REUTERS)
A statue is pictured next to the logo of Germany's Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, Germany.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Germany’s Deutsche Bank withdrew its notice of closure to a German-language Israeli news website and magazine Israel Heute (Israel Today) after The Jerusalem Post reported on the account’s slated termination earlier this month.
Aviel Schneider wrote on Friday on the website of Israel Today: “Deutsche Bank has officially canceled the closure of our bank account, which it had issued with effect from June 13 of this year. This was communicated to us by email on Monday.”
Schneider wrote the reversal of the closure was due to in part to articles “published in English and Spanish, including in The Jerusalem Post. What had probably caused quite a stir in the media was the fact that this message was accidentally published on Holocaust Remembrance Day.”
When asked last week why the bank closed Israel Today’s account, a spokesman told the Post: “Please understand that we cannot comment on suspected or actual customer relationships. Our commitment to Yad Vashem exemplifies our desire for reconciliation and our close ties with the Israeli people. This basic understanding also shapes our business connections.”
“The closure of account connections can have different causes, including regulatory reasons,” the spokesman added. “However, in no case does it have anything to do with religious affiliation. Deutsche Bank stands for diversity and pluralism.”
Schneider asked in article last week if there were “political reasons” for the Deutsche Bank’s closure of the account.
Israel Today states on its website that it “is a Jerusalem news agency that brings local news from a biblical and objective perspective. It was founded in 1978 as a monthly newsletter in German. In January 1999, we began publishing English-speaking Israel Today to meet the increasing demand for news from Israel in the English-speaking market. A Norwegian, as well as a Dutch edition, now appear monthly.”
“We are happy about the cancellation and thank Deutsche Bank for reversing its decision,” Schneider wrote on Friday. “But above all, we would like to thank all of our customers and friends abroad who have worked for Israel Today. It is nice to know that we have real friends.”