60 years of German-Israeli ties: German FM Wadephul meets PM Netanyahu & visits Yad Vashem; Israeli President Herzog travels to Germany

Germany’s new foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, arrived in Israel on Sunday, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem as the two countries celebrate 60 years of official diplomatic relations. 

Netanyahu said that Israel and Germany will continue to strengthen the alliance between their countries. 

“We’ve had excellent relations, we’ll continue them in this conversation,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office as he welcomed Wadephul to Israel. 

Netanyahu also gave a greeting to the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office after the recent elections in Germany. 

Netanyahu spoke with Merz by phone last week, after the prime minister called his counterpart to congratulate him. 

“We have a lot of common interests, a lot of common values, and a lot of common challenges,” Netanyahu said ahead of his meeting with Wadephul. “I will send my best regards to Friedrich Merz and to your joint efforts to continue the Israel–Germany alliance.” 

In the video, Wadephul replied, “It’s a privilege to be here on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries.”  

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul:
"We'll make our partnership even stronger."

Full remarks >>https://t.co/TG5CCcG53H

» pic.twitter.com/qysBL0X9AH

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 11, 2025

Earlier on Sunday, Wadephul visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. 

There, the German foreign minister laid a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance in memory of the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazi government, saying he felt “horror and shame.” 

"With horror and shame, I stand here as German foreign minister," Wadephul stated. "This place reminds us Germans again and again that the monstrosity of the Shoah was ordered in German, planned by Germans and carried out by Germans.” 

Upon arriving on Saturday, Wadephul met with family members of German-Israeli hostages still in Gaza, before receiving a demonstration of the Arrow 3 ballistic missile air defense system, which Germany is looking to deploy in the coming days. 

At the same time that Wadephul was visiting Israel, President Isaac Herzog began a state visit to Germany to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. 

Herzog was welcomed with an official state ceremony at the Bellevue Presidential Palace in Berlin by Steinmeier. 

After Herzog’s arrival, the national anthems of both countries were played, and the two presidents reviewed the honor guard. 

Following this, the two presidents held a private meeting in which they discussed efforts to return the hostages from Gaza, strengthening of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, and the development of future joint initiatives. 

In his remarks, Herzog thanked Steinmeier for his sincere friendship and for his personal commitment to the relationship between the two countries. After the private meeting, an expanded bilateral meeting was held with the participation of both delegations. 

On Tuesday, Herzog will host Steinmeier for a visit to the National Library in Jerusalem after their arrival from Germany.