Eighty years after the Holocaust, we renew our commitment to the principle that the existence and security of Israel are part of Germany’s raison d’état. Today, we still need to reinterpret this commitment, always in the light of our past and against the backdrop of the international legal order, to which we have a particular obligation.

This year we are celebrating 60 years of German-Israeli relations. I am therefore keen to travel to Israel early on in my tenure. After all, for us as Germans this relationship is a precious gift that we should never take for granted. We stand clearly by the side of Israel.

In our two democracies, critical debate on the policies of our own government and those of friendly nations is integral. However, this should never be allowed to be abused as a platform for antisemitism. At the same time, space for objective criticism is an essential characteristic of our free societies. We must constantly wrestle to maintain this balance and this distinction. That means, not least, that the German Government will take decisive steps to tackle manifestations of antisemitism in Germany and to promote the diversity of Jewish life.

We condemn the brutal terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023 in the strongest terms and support Israel in its efforts to safeguard its security. We sense and understand that 7 October unleashed a deep-seated trauma for Israel – as an attack on Jewish life on a scale that had not been seen since the Holocaust. It is Israel’s right to defend itself against this terrorism.

The horrific consequences of 7 October continue to have an impact – on the victims of Hamas and their relatives, on the hostages, but also on the civilian population in Gaza. Hamas must cease its fighting, and all hostages must finally be released. I intend to ask about the strategic goal of the fighting, which has intensified again since March.

That is why a start to serious negotiations on a ceasefire is now urgently needed, with the goal of obtaining the release of all hostages and the provision of aid to the people in Gaza. The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is now unbearable.

In the West Bank, too, Palestinians need the prospect of a political and economic future – so that hatred and extremism do not continue to fall on fertile ground. My talks will focus on how we can support the Palestinian Authority with urgently needed reforms as well as on Israel’s construction of settlements.

We are firmly convinced that the prospect of a two-state solution, as distant as it may seem today, offers the best chance of achieving peace and security for Israel and its neighbours. It must not be thwarted.