From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Rivlin holds farewell call with Germany’s Merkel
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President Reuven Rivlin holds a farewell video call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of the end of his term of office.
“You are one of the most important leaders of our generation,” the president tells the chancellor. “You are someone who constantly reminds the whole free world the values that we all, humanity as a whole, share.”
Recalling the chancellor’s speech to the Knesset in 2008, Rivlin says: “I will always remember you as a leader who took care of the relations between our two peoples, and not just between our two countries. You got to know Israel’s citizens from up close, our culture, our leaders, all the principles that are important to us.”
The president expresses his thanks and appreciation for the chancellor’s commitment to Israel’s national security, particularly during the recent round of conflict with Hamas. He also expresses his thanks for Merkel’s commitment to the fight against antisemitism and for ensuring the safety of Germany’s Jewish community.
The chancellor spoke with the president about the recent changes in Israel and thanked him for the values he promoted during his presidency, and for their joint work over the years to advance relations between the countries.
The Times of Israel Community.