Merz travels to Israel to reconcile with Netanyahu
It is the first visit by a European head of government to the country since the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10.
BerlinFriedrich Merz traveled to Israel this weekend for his first visit as Chancellor in an attempt to ease tensions with Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Expectations are high in both countries regarding the German leader's trip. It is the first visit by a European head of government to Israel. following the ceasefire on October 10 between Israel and Hamas more than two years after the start of the war, and it occurs a few weeks after Berlin decided to resume arms exports to Tel Aviv
"Federal Chancellor Merz's visit is eagerly anticipated in Israel," Israeli Ambassador to Berlin Ron Prosor told the newspaper. Jewish General. Merz will be welcomed with open arms, "even though differences sometimes exist," according to Prosor. But before meeting with Netanyahu, the German leader held a call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in which he urged the entity to undertake the necessary reforms to play a constructive role in the governance of Gaza. Merz reiterated his support for Donald Trump's peace plan and expressed his favor for a two-state solution, as it "offers the best prospects for lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians." The stabilization of the ceasefire in Gaza, along with other international issues, will be on the table during Merz's meeting with the Israeli prime minister, the Foreign Ministry announced. In addition to meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Amman on Saturday, Merz is also expected to visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum and hold meetings with representatives of civil society and intellectuals.
The Gaza war has meant that Merz's first trip to Israel has taken place later than those of his predecessors after assuming office, given that Germany is one of the Jewish state's main partners. Social Democrat Olaf Scholz visited after three months as chancellor, and conservative Angela Merkel after only two months. However, Merz had already visited the country as leader of the opposition before taking office.
The arms embargo and the resumption of exports
Relations between Germany and Israel have been more tense than ever in recent months, after The chancellor has adopted a tougher tone than his predecessors when criticizing Israeli policy in the Gaza Strip since taking office in May.
Merz's decision to to decree this summer a partial arms embargo This further exacerbated relations between the two countries. The chancellor suspended the issuance of arms export licenses to Israel in August after Netanyahu approved plans to "take control" of Gaza City.
Berlin It resumed arms exports to Israel on November 24th. Considering that the ceasefire is holding and noting that humanitarian aid is reaching the Gaza Strip, the trip to Israel comes just days after the activation of the Israeli-American Arrow 3 missile defense system in Holzdorf, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The contract for the acquisition of this defense system, which can intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles, was signed two years ago in an attempt to counter what Berlin considers a growing threat from Moscow.
The Chancellor will be the first leader of a European country to visit Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued its ruling in November 2024. an arrest warrant against Netanyahu and the then defense ministerYoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. Only Hungarian Viktor Orbán has so far met with the Israeli Prime MinisterAnd he did so in April of this year, 2025, in Budapest, defying the ICC order.
Historical Responsibility
Sixty years ago, on May 12, 1965, Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany established diplomatic relations, a rapprochement that seemed unthinkable after the Holocaust. For decades, Germany has been one of Israel's staunchest supporters and is its second-largest arms exporter, after the United States. Israel's right to exist and security is considered a matter of national importance by the German government, a consequence of Germany's historical responsibility for the Nazi murder of six million European Jews. Berlin favors a negotiated two-state solution so that Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace and harmony. However, Merz has made it clear that the recognition of a Palestinian state is not currently on the table, unlike in other European countries that have officially recognized Palestine, such as Spain, France, and the United Kingdom, among others. Germany believes that such recognition should be the culmination of a negotiated process, not a preliminary step. For now, the German government has limited itself to urging the Israeli government not to take any further steps toward the annexation of the West Bank.