Netanyahu sees ‘historical change’ in German defence cooperation

German-Israeli relations have undergone “a historical change” with respect to cooperation on arms, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday following a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem.

The Jewish state had “been able to fend off our enemies” since its founding and had developed the capacities to help others, he said in clear reference to Germany’s purchase of the Israeli-made Arrow 3 missile defence system.

“Not only does Germany work in the defence of Israel, but Israel, the Jewish state, 80 years after the Holocaust, works for the defence of Germany,” he said.

“And that is a historical change that comes at the time of great international turbulence and change,” the Israeli prime minister added.

Discussions were continuing on how this cooperation in defence could be continued in a changing world, he said.

Israel and Germany were among the world’s most advanced countries with “extraordinarily gifted people,” he said, pointing to high technology and artificial intelligence as areas where the two nations “are ranked very high”.

“But I think that working together, we can not only better the citizens of Israel and Germany, but I think we can better the world and our immediate neighbourhood, the Middle East,” Netanyahu said.

Germany resumed arms exports to Israel in November after imposing a temporary partial embargo in August amid concerns over the conduct of the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip.

Referring to the embargo imposed by his government, Merz said: “Despite this decision, which was directed at a particular state of affairs, nothing has changed – beforehand or afterwards – in our very basic attitude towards Israel and Israel’s security, in our support of Israel, in our military support of Israel as well.”