Germany's Merz to make inaugural visit to Israel by end of year

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is to visit Israel before the end of the year, a government spokesman told dpa on Monday.

The exact day for the trip will be confirmed on the Friday before the visit in keeping with procedure, the spokesman said.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that the chancellor is expected to make the journey on December 6-7 for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While Germany maintains close relations with Israel, Merz's inaugural visit is set to take place around seven months after he took office. In comparison, his predecessor Olaf Scholz travelled to the country after just three months in office.

The reason for the delay was Israel's war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which made a visit impossible. Only US President Donald Trump has visited Israel in recent months.

In addition, Merz's decision earlier this year to suspend arms exports that could be used in the Gaza Strip led to friction with Netanyahu's administration.

Following the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Berlin announced several days ago that the partial embargo would be lifted. The decision takes effect on Monday.