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Merz to visit Israel for first time as German chancellor next month
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Friedrich Merz will make his first visit to Israel as German chancellor in December, a diplomatic source tells The Times of Israel.
The visit, which is tentatively scheduled for December 6-7, will include a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.
Merz, who was elected in May, will be the first elected leader of a major European country to visit Israel in over a year.
Germany’s long-standing support for Israel following the Holocaust has been strained by the death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which prompted demands from the German public for government action.
Berlin suspended some arms trade with Israel in August over the Israeli cabinet’s decision to conquer Gaza City in its war against Hamas in Gaza. Germany is the second-largest arms exporter to Israel, after the United States, and Israel’s main backer in the EU.
Germany is slated to lift an order suspending some weapons sales to Israel today, following the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached last month.
The Times of Israel Community.