Israel, Germany hold first-ever Strategic Dialogue in Jerusalem

Participants discussed a wide range of issues related to national security, including danger Israel sees in returning to the nuclear agreement with Iran

Israel, Germany hold first-ever Strategic Dialogue in Jerusalem

Israeli and German delegates during their first-ever Strategic Dialogue. Photo: GPO

The meeting was presided over by the national security advisors and directors-general of the foreign ministries of Germany and Israel. Also taking part were the Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the Director of the Mossad, the Director of the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), and their German counterparts.

This historic meeting took place following the agreement signed between German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz and Israeli Prime Minister at the time, Naftali Bennett, during the former’s visit in Jerusalem in Israel in March 2022. The agreement set out to establish a framework for a strategic dialogue between Germany and Israel that will take the two nations’ cooperation to new heights.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the two sides affirmed the unique nature and special character of their relations during the strategic dialogue held on Thursday and Friday, as well as their commitment to continuing to advance these relations.

The participants discussed a wide range of issues related to national security. The Israeli participants presented the danger posed in Israel’s view by a return to the nuclear agreement with Iran.The two sides agreed to continue to hold this dialogue on a regular basis.

Also on Friday, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Defense, Major General (ret.) Amir Eshel, met with the State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Defense, Mr. Benedikt Zimmer, as part of the intensifying defense dialogue between the defense ministries of the two countries.

Head of the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) at the IMOD, Brigadier General (res.) Dr. Daniel Gold also participated in the meeting, where future collaborations in the fields of R&D and capabilities development were discussed.