Herzog pays tribute to Merkel
German paper Die Zeit published a farewell tribute to Chancellor Angela Merkel and invited past and present political figures from several countries to share their memories and impressions.
Editors chose as Israel’s representative President Isaac Herzog, who first met Merkel in 2007, when as welfare and social services minister, he was rostered to greet her on arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport.
He was all set to meet her in his present capacity at the end of August, but Merkel canceled her farewell visit to Israel due to a refugee crisis brought on by the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. The visit was reportedly rescheduled for October 11.
Herzog wrote that he has watched Merkel with admiration “as she established herself as one of the greatest world leaders of the modern era. Her rise from the repressive reality of East Germany to the summit of the liberal world order is a striking symbol of the promise of the 21st century. Her commitment to statecraft based on moral principles will be her enduring legacy.”
Herzog also commended Merkel for her personal commitment to Holocaust commemoration and to Israel’s security, adding that he looked forward to welcoming her soon in Jerusalem.
After that first meeting with Herzog, Merkel was back in Israel in March 2008, to celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations. At that time, she addressed the Knesset, placing special emphasis on Germany’s commitment to the Holocaust.
“The Shoah fills us Germans with shame,” she said. “I bow to the victims. I bow to all those who helped the survivors.” During that visit she also traveled with then-president Shimon Peres to Sde Boker,
where they visited the grave of David Ben-Gurion, who in the face of great opposition, entered into diplomatic relations with Germany, and formed a strong bond with Germany’s first post-war chancellor, Konrad Adenauer.
During Merkel’s 60th anniversary visit, she and prime minister Ehud Olmert agreed to strengthen and intensify their political, cultural, economic and societal relations through regular intergovernmental consultations. The first such meeting, co-chaired by Merkel and Olmert with ministers from both countries, was at Yad Vashem.
Altogether, Merkel has visited Israel some half dozen times.