Merz and Netanyahu are leaving turbulence behind them

Inaugural visit to Israel

Merz and Netanyahu are leaving turbulence behind them

At their meeting in Jerusalem, the two heads of government emphasized the German-Israeli friendship after a difficult time. But differences remain.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have largely dealt with the severe turbulence in the relations between the two countries over the past few months. During the Chancellor’s inaugural visit to Jerusalem, they put aside the dispute over German arms exports to Israel, which have since been largely suspended, and invoked the special partnership between the two countries.

“I come as a friend of the country, as a friend of Israel, who knows that the friendship between Germany and Israel is infinitely valuable and precious,” said Merz.

Like all his predecessors, he acknowledged Germany’s special responsibility for Israel’s right to exist – but without using the term “reason of state” coined by Angela Merkel (CDU) and adopted by Olaf Scholz (SPD). Instead, he wrote in the guest book at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial that Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security was “part of the unchanging essence” of the relationship between the two countries. “This is true for today, this is true for tomorrow and this is true forever.”

Netanyahu spoke of a “historic change” in relations between the two countries and emphasized cooperation in the defense sector. “Not only Germany is working for the defense of Israel, but Israel, the Jewish state, is working for the defense of Germany 80 years after the Holocaust,” Netanyahu said. “And this is a historic change that is occurring at a time of great international turmoil and change.”

This primarily refers to the Israeli Arrow 3 missile defense system, which has just been put into operation and is intended to protect Germany from Russian missile attacks. Conversely, Germany has been supplying larger weapons systems to Israel for decades, most recently submarines, some of which are financed with German tax money.

Merz was the first head of government of a major European country to visit Israel since the ceasefire in the Gaza war. Along with the USA, Germany is considered the most important ally of the Israeli government, which has come under massive criticism over its military actions in the Gaza war. Merz also responded in August and restricted arms exports to Israel. That caused massive trouble there. Netanyahu accused the chancellor of playing into the hands of the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The sanction was only lifted at the end of November. The decision cleared the way for the Chancellor’s inaugural visit. Looking back, Merz now says of his decision that it was due to the special circumstances of those days and weeks. “Circumstances have changed and therefore this decision no longer applies.”