President Isaac Herzog is visiting Berlin to mark 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany. In a powerful show of reciprocity, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will then travel to Israel for a parallel ceremony. These symbolic visits are more than just photo opportunities; they are reminders of what diplomatic courage and long-term vision can achieve, even between nations with a painful history.
After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, it took another 17 years for Jerusalem and Bonn (then the capital of West Germany) to formalize diplomatic ties in May 1965. The 1953 Reparations Agreement, in which West Germany committed to compensating Israel for Jewish lives and property lost in the Holocaust, played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork.
But while the ink dried on official documents, emotional scars remained open and raw. Many Israelis – Holocaust survivors among them – could not accept the normalization of any relations with post-Nazi Germany so quickly.
Fast forward to 2008: German chancellor Angela Merkel stood before the Knesset and, speaking in German, affirmed what would become known as Germany’s Staatsräson – a solemn, state-level commitment to Israel’s security and its right to defend itself.
It was a historic moment, not just because of where it happened or the language in which it was delivered, but because it symbolized that the relationship had moved beyond formal diplomacy into the realm of moral partnership.
And then came October 7, 2023.
Germany-Israel relations post-October 7
For many Israelis, the brutal Hamas attacks represented the most devastating pogrom against Jews since the Holocaust. And Germany responded – not just with words, but with concrete, visible solidarity. Then-chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Israel twice; then-foreign minister Annalena Baerbock made six visits in as many months.
In January 2024, Germany became the first country to publicly support Israel at the International Court of Justice when South Africa brought its unfounded genocide accusations. Berlin requested to intervene on Israel’s behalf, a significant diplomatic statement that did not go unnoticed in Jerusalem.
Germany has also made clear it will not enforce potential International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Israeli officials, and it was the first country to ban Samidoun, a Palestinian network linked to terrorist groups and behind many violent anti-Israel protests across Europe.
After the October 7 attacks, Germany also cut off funding to several Palestinian NGOs affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, many of which had been key players in lawfare campaigns against Israel.
In November 2024, the Bundestag passed a resolution conditioning all development funding on recipients’ recognition of Israel’s right to exist. A few radical Israeli political advocacy NGOs refused to comply and lost their funding immediately. Germany’s justice minister at the time went a step further, suggesting that recognizing Israel’s right to exist should be a requirement for the naturalization of immigrants.
All of this has had a significant effect on Israeli public opinion. There is a broad and growing recognition across Israel that Germany is not only one of its most reliable allies but perhaps its greatest one in Europe.
What this illustrates is simple but powerful: Political will, coupled with real leadership and backed by tangible action, can rebuild even the most broken relationships. Sixty years ago, it would have been hard to imagine Israeli and German presidents embracing in each other’s capitals. Today, it seems both natural and necessary.
But for all the progress made, challenges remain. Germany has seen a troubling rise in antisemitism in recent years, and too many still try to mask or excuse contemporary antisemitism as legitimate political criticism of Israel. Much of it is not. Denying Israel’s right to exist is not political commentary; it’s incitement.
Moreover, Germany continues to channel funding to Hamas-affiliated actors through UN frameworks like UNRWA and frequently abstains in key UN votes targeting Israel. Most concerning of all, German arms exports to Israel fell by half in 2024 compared to the previous year, exactly when Israel needed them most.
Behind the scenes, pressure is mounting within the EU and international legal bodies to restrict military support. But if Germany’s Staatsräson means anything, it must hold up in times of crisis, not just calm.
The newly elected German government has a historic opportunity to chart the course for the next 60 years. The coalition agreement reiterates Germany’s special commitment to Israel’s security, but that commitment must be more than rhetorical.
It requires moral clarity and a willingness to act even when it’s politically inconvenient. This means reaching a clear consensus on funding to UNRWA, restrictions to military exports, and whether Germany is prepared to truly stand by its commitments when they are tested, not just celebrated.
The story of Germany and Israel is not one of forgetting, nor of erasing the past. It is a story of choosing to build, together, despite it. In that, there is an example for the rest of the world. Now, as both nations reflect on what has been achieved, the real question is what they are prepared to do next.
The writer serves as vice president of NGO Monitor.