German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Israel
June 30, 2021
Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Tel Aviv on Wednesday at the beginning of a three-day state visit.
Steinmeier called for vigorous action against antisemitism in Germany and other parts of the world as he kicked off his trip with a speech in Jaffa.
"Antisemitism is still in the world, and we must continue to fight it wherever it rears its ugly head," he said.
For Germans, it should "never become an empty ritual" to remember the Holocaust, fight antisemitism and stand by Israel, the German president stressed.
Steinmeier also pointed out that synagogues in Germany and around the world continued to need police protection.
The German president recalled the right-wing extremist attack on the synagogue in Halle two years ago. At that time, he said, a massacre had been prevented "only by a miracle."
Meeting with new PM
The trip, which was pushed back last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, will see the German head of state meet with Israel officials, including the country's new Prime Minister Naftali Bennet.
According to an interview with Israeli national newspaper Haaretz, Steinmeier plans to discuss political solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while also stressing Germany's support for Israel.
The visit comes a month after violence in the region killed 248 Palestinians in Gaza and 12 Israelis.
What else is on Steinmeier's schedule?
On Thursday, he will meet with his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin, as well as the newly installed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his coalition partner and current Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
Isaaz Herzog, who will take over from Rivlin as Israeli president next month, will also be present.
Steinmeier told Haaretz that he would also restate Germany's support for the two-state solution, but also highlighted the need for the new administration to rebuild trust with Palestinians.
The two-state solution is an attempt to end the conflict by granting the Palestinians their own state, a suggestion opposed by former Israeli leaders.
Iran and antisemitism also on Steinmeier's agenda
Steinmeier also stressed in his interview that Germany and Israel have the same strategic goal of stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, the means pursued by the two allies are "not always the same."
Germany supports a return to the arrangements of the Iran nuclear deal that was undermined by the withdrawal of the US under former President Donald Trump. Israel has repeatedly criticized the deal.
In his interview, Steinmeier also touched on the rise of antisemitism in Germany, especially during May's 11-day conflict.
He said that cases of people burning Israeli flags or shouting antisemitic slogans went beyond the freedom of expression and should be prosecuted as crimes.
The presidency in Germany is a largely symbolic role, with the majority of the power in the hands of the parliament and the chancellor, currently Angela Merkel.
jsi, ab/rt (AFP, dpa, KNA)