“Israel's ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor contradicted Smotrich, calling Merz a 'great friend of Israel' in an interview with Israeli broadcaster Kan.”

“In late March, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reacted sharply to a post on X by Steffen Seibert, the German ambassador to Israel.”

“Seibert mentioned, among other things, Israeli settler violence against Palestinian villagers in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967.”

“Germany and Israel held their first government consultations in 2008.”

“Earlier that year, Chancellor Merkel spoke in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel — the first German head of government to do so.”

“the seventh and so far last German‑Israeli consultations took place in 2018, eight years ago.”

“In October 2025, Merz distanced himself from the term 'reason of state'”

“Merz told the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that he had always struggled with the term”

“The United Nations also regards the disputed Israeli settlements as a major obstacle to a peace agreement.”

“The British daily The Guardian quoted an expert on Israel from the International Crisis Group, a Brussels‑based nongovernmental organization. Mairav Zonszein explained on X that the reason the Israeli government had repeatedly attacked Germany was 'for invoking the basic human rights of Palestinians'”