Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday began a state visit to Germany, marking 60 years of diplomatic relations and calling for urgent global action to free hostages from Gaza and confront Iran.
“We welcome this with deep emotion and trembling hearts—the news that Edan Alexander will be released from Hamas captivity,” said Herzog. “I send a warm embrace to his dear parents, to his family, to his grandmother Verda Ben-Baruch, and to all his loved ones. We look forward to seeing him home.”
Speaking alongside German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Herzog declared: “The State of Israel makes no distinction between one citizen and another ... all the hostages are equal. The duty to bring back all the hostages is a sacred and holy moral obligation of the State of Israel.”
He described Hamas as “one of the tentacles of the Iranian octopus,” and said it “burned, raped, murdered and abducted on Oct. 7—murdering the largest number of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust.” He added: “Together with you, I cry out to all humanity—to act by every means and with all strength to bring about the urgent release of all the hostages.”
Herzog also warned that “another arm of Iran—the Houthis in Yemen—is not only firing missiles ... they have also attacked and continue to attack dozens of ships in the Red Sea.”
He added: “All of these vile acts have one and only one address: Tehran.”
On antisemitism, Herzog said, “Ancient murderous hatreds are rearing their heads again ... we must act with all our might to pass on memory and to wage a determined battle against hatred, antisemitism and racism.”
He concluded: “Here, on the soil of Germany ... I will conclude with the words I said when we visited, together ... the terrible death camp of Bergen-Belsen: The Eternal One of Israel does not lie. The people of Israel live.”
Herzog also met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, his office said, noting that Herzog was the first world leader to be received by Merz since he was elected to lead the federal government last week.
“This is a special opportunity to wish you much success, and it is a great honor for me to be the first leader to meet you here in your office since you took office,” said Herzog, according to the readout from Jerusalem.
“These are very sensitive and painful times. Fifty-nine Israeli hostages are still being held deep inside Hamas’s tunnels in Gaza. At least twenty-one of them are going through hell,” the head of state said. “We are pleading, demanding, and asking the international community to intervene.”
“Nine of the hostages hold German citizenship. I therefore appeal from here, on behalf of the State of Israel on behalf of my nation, to the international leadership to do everything possible to bring about change,” Herzog stated.
On Tuesday, Herzog and Steinmeier will arrive in Israel, where they will visit the Israel National Library in Jerusalem, marking the start of Steinmeier’s state visit.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Sunday with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Prime Minister’s Office in the capital of the Jewish state.
