During his official visit to Jerusalem, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered an unusual explanation—and a highly anticipated one—regarding the brief and partial suspension of military exports to Israel that Berlin implemented at the end of August, which was lifted as soon as the war in Gaza ended in mid-November.
His message was twofold: Germany will continue to support Israel unwaveringly, partly for historical reasons, but also expects Jerusalem to uphold the highest standards of international humanitarian law.
Merz acknowledged without hesitation that Germany's commitment to Israel is "permanent" and is closely linked to the historical responsibility for the Holocaust.
However, he indicated that Berlin felt the need to send a political signal regarding certain aspects of the campaign in Gaza. Even so, Germany was among the last powers in Europe to impose—limited—restrictions on arms sales, and one of the few that flatly refused to recognize a Palestinian state in September.
Likewise, Germany was also the first among Western European countries to quickly lift those restrictions once the ceasefire in Gaza stabilized.
This gesture once again underscored, according to various diplomatic sources, the strength of the strategic bond between both countries.
Defense cooperation: from Arrow 3 to a world in transformation
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Merz also addressed the recent delivery of the Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany. Manufactured in Israel, Arrow 3 represents a crucial advancement for German defense against potential ballistic attacks from Russia.
