German President in Israel

 

Joachim Gauck spends two days in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

 

His journey came at the end of the year marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel. On 5-6 December 2015 German head of state Joachim Gauck visited Israel. The dates on his agenda were largely of a cultural or academic nature, and included a concert by the Thomaner Choir and Gewandhaus Orchestra in Tel Aviv, which the German President attended together with his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin. At the Hebrew University in Jerusalem Gauck was awarded an honorary doctorate, amongst other things for his international work against global racism, extremism and anti-Semitism, and for his support and friendship for the state of Israel.

 

In the presence of Rivlin, Gauck promised Israel his country’s unwavering friendship. “We Germans will stay by your side,” he said. The German President also met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks.