German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s inaugural trip to Israel and Jordan this weekend came at a time of extraordinary tension and historical resonance, as the leader sought to reaffirm Germany’s enduring commitment to Israel while navigating the diplomatic minefield of the ongoing war in Gaza. Landing in Tel Aviv on December 6, 2025, just before 8pm local time, Merz was met by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who described him as “a friend of Israel” and underscored Germany’s status as “an important partner.”
Merz’s journey began with a stopover in Amman, where he met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. According to Deutsche Welle (DW), the German chancellor praised Amman’s mediation efforts in Gaza and emphasized the shared commitment of both countries to a negotiated two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. “We now hope that this peace process can enter the next phase and, in particular, that Hamas can be disarmed, because this war is being waged exclusively by Hamas,” Merz stated, reflecting both urgency and hope for a way forward.
Upon arriving in Israel, Merz’s itinerary was packed with symbolic and substantive engagements. He met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, where he acknowledged the complicated state of German-Israeli relations—strained by Germany’s temporary partial arms embargo over Israel’s conduct in Gaza, but steadied by shared historical ties and mutual security concerns. Merz wrote in the guest book at the President’s Office, “The friendship between Germany and Israel is a great treasure.” He added, “Eight decades after the Shoah, it remains our responsibility to strengthen the bond between our countries from generation to generation.”
Merz’s visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial on December 7 was particularly poignant. As reported by DW, he commemorated the six million Jews murdered during the Nazi dictatorship and underlined Germany’s “enduring historical responsibility” toward Israel. In the memorial’s guest book, Merz wrote, “We will keep alive the memory of the terrible crime of the Shoah committed by Germans against the Jewish people. Here at Yad Vashem, Germany’s enduring historical responsibility is palpable: Germany must stand up for the existence and security of Israel. This is part of the unchanging core essence of our relationship, and will remain so forever.”
But the chancellor’s visit was not just about symbolism. It came against the backdrop of Israel’s more than two-year war on Gaza, which has claimed over 70,000 Palestinian lives according to local health authorities, and left the region fractured and isolated. Even after a United States-brokered ceasefire in October 2025, which has been violated regularly, more than 350 Palestinians and three Israeli soldiers have been killed. The United Nations has continued to warn that Israel is not allowing enough humanitarian aid into Gaza—a point Merz pressed during his meetings. He urged more humanitarian assistance for Gaza and called on Hamas fighters to lay down their weapons, reiterating Germany’s commitment to a two-state solution, despite the Netanyahu government’s repeated opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In his discussions with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Merz again highlighted the importance of regional mediation efforts and the need for all parties to move forward with the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Before leaving Berlin, Merz held a comprehensive phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. According to government spokesman Stefan Kornelius, the conversation was conducted in a “friendly atmosphere,” and Merz expressed support for the US peace plan for Gaza, which envisions a technocratic committee—potentially staffed by members of a reformed Palestinian Authority—to administer the territory post-war. Merz also urged Abbas to pursue “urgently necessary reforms,” saying these changes would enable the PA to “play a constructive role” in establishing a new order in Gaza.
Relations between Germany and Israel, while historically close, have faced rare turbulence since October 2023. Germany initially imposed restrictions on arms exports to Israel in August 2025, citing concerns over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. However, after the October ceasefire, Berlin lifted those restrictions. Despite these tensions, key military cooperation has continued. Just last week, Germany activated the first phase of the Israeli-made Arrow missile defense shield, part of a $4.5 billion deal—the largest arms export agreement in Israeli history. Israeli President Herzog remarked on the significance of this defense partnership, stating, “The fact that Germany is being defended in Europe with an Israeli product is unique, very moving and important.”
Merz’s visit also included plans to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 7, with a press conference scheduled for later that afternoon. The chancellor indicated he would use the meeting to advocate for the two-state solution and urge Israel to provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza. He was also expected to address rising tensions in the West Bank and, before returning to Berlin, to meet with former hostages kidnapped by Hamas and relatives of hostages who were killed.
The trip was not without criticism. Gil Shohat, head of the Tel Aviv office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, affiliated with Germany’s left-wing Die Linke party, condemned Merz’s engagement with Netanyahu, who faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes in Gaza from the International Criminal Court. “Netanyahu is a wanted war criminal and is under suspicion of corruption,” Shohat told AFP. “Going there now and legitimizing him is a fatal sign of normalization in a situation that must not be normalized.” German officials, for their part, have stated there are no plans to invite Netanyahu to Berlin, despite Merz’s earlier pledge to do so.
Throughout his trip, Merz sought to balance Germany’s moral responsibility—rooted in the horrors of the Holocaust—with the practical demands of diplomacy in a region gripped by violence and distrust. He acknowledged the dilemmas posed by Israel’s actions in Gaza but maintained, “To this day, we have no fundamental differences.” Merz emphasized that Germany’s support for Israel’s existence and security remains “part of the unchanging core essence of our relationship, and will remain so forever.”
As the chancellor departed Jerusalem, the challenges ahead for German-Israeli relations and for peace in the Middle East remained daunting. Yet Merz’s visit underscored that, even in the darkest times, the bonds of history and the hope for a just resolution continue to shape the path forward.