Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar was in Germany this week for a diplomatic visit, during which he met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, as well as other government officials.
“Strengthening ties with Germany and the ongoing dialogue with it are central to our foreign policy. This is particularly important during this challenging period. Our goal is to deepen our ties with Germany, including our security and economic ties,” Sa’ar said.
Merz has sharply criticized the economic fallout from the US-Israeli war with Iran in recent weeks, straining ties with US President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, the Israeli minister met with Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, whom he described as a “true friend” of the Jewish state.
The two discussed bilateral ties between Jerusalem and Berlin, regional developments with Iran and Lebanon, as well as “the importance of combating antisemitism,” Sa’ar tweeted.
“I described the purpose of the IDF’s presence in southern Lebanon: denying Hezbollah’s anti-tank guided missile attacks against our communities and its invasion plans. I also pointed out that Israel is the only country in the region with a growing Christian population,” he said.
“I’ll continue strengthening the strategic friendship between Israel and Germany!” he added.
Sa’ar also met with the German Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt and the Federal Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight Against Antisemitism Dr. Felix Klein as well as with State Commissioners.
He said : “The new antisemitism is marked by an obsession with the Jewish state. We appreciate the Minister and Commissioners’ deep commitment to fighting antisemitism.”
‘’We appreciate the Minister and Commissioners’ deep commitment to fighting antisemitism. It is crucial to implement concrete steps to fight this growing phenomenon,’’ he added.
During his stay, Sa’ar also visited the Gleis 17 (platform 17) memorial at the Grunewald railway station, from which thousands of Berlin’s Jews were deported to concentration camps by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust, and ùet with leaders of the German Jewish community.