Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this Saturday in Jerusalem at a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog that support for Israel is the “essential, unchanging core“German foreign policy.
“Support for this country is part of the essential, unchanging core of the policy of the Federal Republic of Germany and will continue to be so,” emphasized Merz with a view to bilateral relations.
Merz acknowledged that Germany’s decision in August to impose a partial embargo on arms exports to Israel in response to increasing bombings in Gaza caused unease among Israeli authorities.
“The actions of the Israeli army in Gaza presented us with some dilemmas” and “we responded,” he explained. However, he added: “We also note that there is currently no longer any divergence“.
The German head of state lifted the embargo at the end of November and reiterated to Herzog: “Israel has the right to defend itself“.
This Sunday, Merz will visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem before meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Due to the Nazi regime’s legacy of the Holocaust, support for Israel has historically been considered a cornerstone of German foreign policy. However, relations between the two countries were strained after the war in Gaza began, triggered by the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
With the entry into force of the ceasefire promoted by US President Donald Trump and the release of hostages under international observation, Berlin lifted these restrictions.
“This war is being waged exclusively by Hamas. If Hamas lays down its arms, then there is a future for the region and there is also a future for Gaza,” he said.
Merz recently reiterated his support From Germany to Israeland described the possibility – assessed by European broadcasters – of excluding the country from the Eurovision Song Contest as “scandalous”. Confirmation of Israel’s participation in the next competition took place in Berlin.
However, German authorities said there are currently no plans to invite Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin. Last week, Germany commissioned the first phase of the Israeli-developed Arrow missile defense system, following a $4.5 billion deal that marks the largest arms export in Israel’s history.
The German-Israeli Society said Merz’s visit should focus on “repairing damaged German-Israeli relations.” In addition, the organization noted that defense relations “have already undergone a turnaround.”
Before his trip to Israel on Saturday, Merz spoke with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. According to a spokesman, the German chancellor reiterated her support for the two-state solution and called on Abbas to carry out “urgently necessary reforms” so that the Palestinian Authority plays a “constructive role” in the post-conflict phase.
In a short statement, the Federal Chancellery stated that the “detailed” telephone conversation took place in a “friendly atmosphere”.
“The Chancellor underlined his support for US President Donald Trump’s peace plan and welcomed the Palestinian Authority’s cooperative stance on this matter. “Now the Palestinian Authority should urgently implement the necessary reforms.”said the statement, indirectly quoting Merz’s words
“If he succeeds, he could play a constructive role in the post-war order”the note said, referring to the second phase of the peace plan and plans to provide Gaza with a governance system following the final disarmament of the Hamas terrorist group.
(With information from AFP)
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