Israeli PM, German chancellor hold expanded meeting in Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are holding an expanded meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. Earlier in the morning, they met one-on-one.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the expanded meeting includes Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Acting National Security Advisor Gil Reich, Director General of the Ministry of Defence retired Major General Amir Baram, the ambassadors of both countries, and other officials. No further details have been provided so far.

During his visit to Israel, Chancellor Merz also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. The museum recently announced the identification of the five-millionth Holocaust victim, and Merz emphasised that restoring the names of the victims remains a key task.

“Here, at Yad Vashem, one can feel Germany’s enduring historical responsibility. I bow my head before the six million men, women, and children from all over Europe who were killed by the Germans simply for being Jewish. We will preserve the memory of the horrific crime of the Shoah, committed by Germans against the Jewish people,” Merz wrote in the guestbook.

The Chancellor added, “Germany must defend the existence and security of Israel. This is an unchanging, fundamental element of our relations, forever,” he concluded.

Later today, Merz is scheduled to meet again with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and subsequently with former Hamas hostages and the relatives of those killed in the terrorist attack.

By Khagan Isayev