Germany’s Merz makes first visit to Israel as chancellor amid strained ties

The 2 countries’ traditionally beardown ties person been tested amid Israel’s genocidal warfare connected the radical of Gaza.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has arrived successful Israel for his archetypal sojourn since taking bureau successful May, aiming to reaffirm the traditionally beardown ties betwixt the 2 countries, which person been shaken implicit the people of Israel’s much than two-year genocidal warfare connected Palestinians successful Gaza.

After a little halt successful Jordan, Merz landed conscionable earlier 8pm section clip (18:00 GMT) connected Saturday astatine Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, wherever helium was met by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who called him “a person of Israel” and said Germany was “an important partner”.

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Merz besides met Israeli President Isaac Herzog successful Jerusalem aboriginal connected Saturday.

The German chancellor earlier held talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and told reporters they had mostly discussed Israel’s genocidal warfare connected Gaza.

Merz urged much humanitarian assistance to travel into Gaza and for Hamas fighters to laic down their weapons. He said Jordan and Germany some stay committed to a negotiated two-state solution.

In Jerusalem connected Sunday, Merz is scheduled to sojourn the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial earlier gathering Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Given the acheronian bequest of Nazi Germany’s industrial-scale execution of Jews, German leaders person agelong seen unflinching enactment for Israel arsenic a bedrock of the country’s overseas policy.

But Israeli-German ties person go progressively shaky since October 2023.

Merz has repeatedly criticised Israel’s relentless subject campaign, which has killed much than 70,000 Palestinians.

In August, helium besides moved to restrict income of weapons for usage successful Gaza.

Since the United States-backed ceasefire came into effect successful October – which Israel has violated connected a near-daily ground – Germany has lifted those export restrictions.

Despite the ceasefire, much than 350 Palestinians person been killed successful Gaza, according to section wellness authorities, arsenic good arsenic 3 Israeli soldiers.

The United Nations besides warns that Israel is inactive not allowing capable assistance into Gaza.

Before leaving Berlin connected Saturday, Merz spoke with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas.

A spokesperson said Merz underscored German enactment for a two-state solution, but urged Abbas to propulsion done “urgently indispensable reforms” of the PA successful bid to play a “constructive role” successful the post-war order.

Gil Shohat, caput of the Tel Aviv bureau of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, which is affiliated with Germany’s far-left Die Linke party, sharply criticised Merz for the trip.

“Netanyahu is simply a wanted warfare transgression and is nether suspicion of corruption,” Shohat was quoted arsenic saying by the AFP quality agency. “Going determination present and legitimising him is simply a fatal motion of normalisation successful a concern that indispensable not beryllium normalised.”

Despite the adjacent ties betwixt the countries, German officials person said determination are presently nary plans to invitation Netanyahu, who faces an planetary apprehension warrant for warfare crimes successful Gaza from the International Criminal Court (ICC), to Berlin.

Merz this twelvemonth pledged to invitation the Israeli person and told him helium would not beryllium arrested.

Any tensions person besides not disrupted cardinal subject ties. Germany past week enactment into cognition the archetypal signifier of the Israeli-made Arrow rocket defence shield.

The $4.5bn woody was reportedly the largest arms export statement successful Israeli history, and Berlin has besides turned to Israeli firms for assistance successful drone defence.