Steinmeier travels to Israel with Herzog
First Israel’s President Herzog visited Berlin, today Federal President Steinmeier is flying with him to Tel Aviv. Their topic: 60 years of German-Israeli relations.
Berlin (dpa) – Following the visit of Israeli President Izchak Herzog to Berlin, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is now travelling to Jerusalem. The two trips mark the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel 60 years ago.
Steinmeier will remain in Israel until Wednesday afternoon. His programme includes a meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The human rights organisation Amnesty International has called on Steinmeier not to meet with Netanyahu since the latter is held responsible for the war crimes committed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip and is wanted by the International Criminal Court under a warrant for arrest.
In Berlin, Steinmeier called on Israel to immediately resume aid deliveries to the suffering population in the Gaza Strip: the blockade on humanitarian and medical supplies had to be lifted, he said at a joint press conference with Herzog, “not at some point, but now”.
Federal Chancellor Ludwig Erhard and Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eschkol agreed to establish diplomatic relations on 12 May 1965. Since then, Germany and Israel have forged a close network of political, economic, military, scientific and cultural relations.