At a joint press conference with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that in view of Germany’s past and the Holocaust, the sheer scope of the consultations is "one of the miracles of history".

She is grateful that today the two sides did not discuss only security-policy issues or the conflict in Syria, but also a large number of issues that are "in some way connected with the title of the joint statement, i.e. ‘Challenges of an open society in the 21st century’".

The Chancellor also pointed out that "Israel is also doing something for our security with its efforts to achieve security as the only democracy in a radicalised environment". As distances become less important, cooperation in the security sector is crucially important, she said.

A wide spectrum of issues

Migration, start-ups, cyber security, nanotechnology and development cooperation – alongside the security issues of the moment, the Chancellor and Israel’s Prime Minister engaged in talks with their respective Cabinet ministers in Berlin.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, for instance, has opened up its range of promotion instruments for Israeli start-ups. In addition to cyber security, cooperation in the field of science and research should be seen as a "traditional field that has left its mark on German-Israeli cooperation over the last 50 years".

Angela Merkel made special mention of German-Israeli cooperation in development as an interesting facet of relations between the two countries. For some years now both countries have been involved in projects implemented in Ethiopia. Now these have been joined by similar projects in Cameroon.

"The fact that we can discuss all these things, is one of the miracles of history," said the Chancellor, praising the excellent discussions and the range of issues addressed in view of Germany’s past.

Science and research

German-Israeli cooperation in the field of science and research is held to have paved the way for diplomatic relations between the two countries. Initially, for the German side, the focus was on efforts to make amends for past wrongs.

Today the two high-tech countries, Germany and Israel, cooperate as equals. Israel has an internationally competitive science and research landscape with the Weizmann Institute of Science, the Technion, five universities and a growing number of colleges.

Sixth government consultations
With the establishment of the annual government consultations in 2008, the two states opened a new chapter in their bilateral relations.
On 1 February, Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, "Every year we meet with the Israeli and German Cabinet ministers around a big table and discuss politics and joint projects. In only few days it is time for the next round in Berlin. These meetings are not some polite diplomatic routine for us. Discussions are often heated, I will make no attempt to conceal the fact. But that is precisely what makes our close friendship stand out: we talk openly!"