Seven months into his term, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz embarks on a diplomatically sensitive inaugural visit to Israel, a trip shadowed by significant disagreements over the Gaza conflict and the foundational principles of the bilateral relationship.
A Relationship Tested by Gaza
The German-Israeli "special relationship" has faced severe strain since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,200 people. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza, which the Gaza Health Ministry says has claimed at least 70,000 Palestinian lives, has been a point of major contention. Multiple international rights bodies and a UN commission have labelled Israel's actions as genocide, placing Berlin in a difficult position.
Chancellor Merz's approach has oscillated. In late May 2024, just weeks after taking office, he expressed concern over a potential breach of international humanitarian law by Israel. Initially, Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor responded with measured respect, calling Merz a "friend." However, the tone shifted dramatically in August 2024 when Merz halted deliveries of certain military equipment to Israel, citing the risk of "hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties." Prosor condemned the move as a "celebration for Hamas" and a step towards "the disarmament of Israel," a sentiment echoed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Arms Export Dispute and Unstable Ceasefire
The German government only lifted these arms restrictions in mid-November 2024, citing a ceasefire that began on October 10. However, this truce has been fragile, with ongoing skirmishes and rocket attacks. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that over 300 people, including many children, have been killed by Israeli shelling since the ceasefire nominally began.
Merz's visit follows a pattern of frequent communication with Netanyahu, discussing the Middle East situation, the Gaza humanitarian crisis, and the Israel-Iran conflict. These talks occur against a complex legal backdrop: Germany, as a party to the International Criminal Court (ICC), is obligated to arrest Netanyahu if he visits, following an ICC warrant issued in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Merz has previously stated his intention to find a way for Netanyahu to visit Germany without facing arrest.
Navigating Historical Responsibility and "Reason of State"
A central theme of the visit will be Germany's historical responsibility, symbolized by Merz's planned stop at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. His emotional speech at a reopened Munich synagogue in September 2024, where he fought back tears and expressed shame over resurgent antisemitism in Germany, was noted in Israel.
Yet, Merz has shown unease with the term "reason of state" (Staatsräson), a concept championed by former Chancellor Angela Merkel to describe Germany's irrevocable commitment to Israel's security. While he used the phrase in June 2024, he has since avoided it. At a later event, he instead called Germany's commitment to Israel's existence and security "a non-negotiable part of the normative foundations of our country."
Unlike his predecessors Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel, who visited Israel within their first three months, Merz's trip comes after over seven months. Significantly, he will first meet Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman before proceeding to Jerusalem for talks with Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, indicating a broader regional perspective for his chancellorship.
