Germany in Israel

Angela Merkel last traveled officially to Israel in 2021, shortly before leaving the chancellorship of the Federal Republic of Germany, and visited the Yad Vashem museum, where the memory of the Holocaust is preserved and kept alive. At the end of the day, she remained alone and silent, walking under the dome that displays photographs and recalls the names of thousands of victims of Nazi barbarism.

German Christian Democrat Chancellor Friedrich Merz has just made his first official visit to Israel to keep alive Germany's commitment to the Jewish people and to transform the horror of the past into a present of understanding and political cooperation between two democratic states with a high level of social and technological development and enormous global impact.

After the horrific massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, against defenseless civilians and the war waged by Israel on various fronts, coordinated by Iran and the leaders of jihadism, with the terrible effects of the Israeli response on thousands of civilians in Gaza, Merz's visit represents a political step of enormous importance. To consolidate the ceasefire and open the doors to diplomatic negotiation and new ideas about future political agreements and windows of understanding of the truth. The first of these is that in order to overcome the pain of the present and move forward in building a more ambitious and lasting peace process, the criminal barbarism of jihadism cannot have any place or geopolitical space.

But the German chancellor's presence also has additional strategic and political value. In terms of security, the visit coincides with the commissioning of the Israeli Arrow 3 anti-missile defense system in Germany. One of the most sophisticated high-tech security systems in the world, designed to create a shield against ballistic missiles, complementary to other short- and medium-range missile protection systems such as the Patriot. It has been used by Israel in its defense against the 850 missiles launched by Iran, 36 of which hit Israeli territory. One of them hit the area of the Ministry of Defense, located next to the old German quarter of Tel Aviv.

The Arrow 3 system and the security cooperation agreements between Israel and Germany strengthen Germany's defense against the risk of attacks by major powers such as Russia or others that may pose a threat to the security of Germany and other European countries. They therefore strengthen European defense and the European pillar of NATO, and also open the door to a Europe with greater autonomy and technological capacity. But political talks between the leaders of both countries not only affect allied security, they can also help reduce polarization and strengthen democratic systems.

Mertz and German Christian Democracy are an example of political consistency when it comes to establishing government coalitions built on political moderation and geared towards understanding between political groups that are distant but converge in their democratic and liberal principles. Christian Democrats do not represent an ultra-orthodox ideology but rather a part of German society that has sought to integrate Christian values into an open and liberal democracy.

And other ideological sectors that conceive of progress as a consequence of the individual and economic freedoms enshrined in the Constitution and the rule of law, but in no case outside of them. The same freedoms on which the European free market and solidarity among its countries and citizens have been built.

The Israeli socio-political space, which differs from the European one and is systematically conditioned by armed conflicts, is nevertheless comparable to the German and European ones and has been so for decades. The historical convergence in Israel of the major parties (Likud, Labor) around a modern and democratic project has been partially disintegrated in recent years by the trend, also shared in Europe, toward polarization.

But the ultra-Orthodox groups, although decisive in this last legislative term, remain a minority. Meanwhile, a large part of Jewish society in Israel reconciles its religious convictions, more or less active, with the principles and benefits, as well as the problems, of a liberal democracy.

Mertz has called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to hold Israel accountable under international law for its actions in Gaza. With his visit, the German chancellor has opened a new window to overcome pain and build understanding in the present.

Both countries have spoken of peace and strengthening security in allied democracies in the face of threats, of legitimate defense against barbarism, and of the necessary responsibility of the rule of law.