Status: 04.09.2022 4:18 p.m
Israeli President Herzog has arrived in Berlin for a three-day state visit. He now has several dates full of symbolic power ahead of him – including the commemoration of the 1972 Olympic assassination.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received Israeli President Isaac Herzog for a three-day state visit to Germany. Steinmeier welcomed Herzog and his wife Michal with military honors and to the sound of the Israeli national anthem at Bellevue Palace in Berlin. The Israeli embassy in Germany described Herzog’s arrival as an “emotional moment”.
Herzog’s first visit as President
At a joint press conference in Berlin, both Herzog and Steinmeier emphasized how special this first state visit by Herzog is in his capacity as Israeli President. It is a moment where “past and present merge,” explained Herzog.
Herzog then thanked Steinmeier for his “unshakeable moral obligation”, which is reflected in his commitment. He described the alliance between Germany and Israel as “fruitful”. So he looks forward to a successful visit.
Duke came to Munich for a commemoration
And he has a few appointments for Herzog: a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is scheduled for the Israeli President on Monday. Then there will be a walk by Herzog with the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Franziska Giffey (SPD), through the Brandenburg Gate.
Steinmeier will probably apologize
In the afternoon, the Herzog couple will face the main part of their trip to Germany: Then the much-noticed commemoration event to mark the 50th anniversary of the attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games will take place at the air base in Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich.
In addition to the survivors of the victims, Federal President Steinmeier also takes part in the commemoration. Steinmeier is expected to acknowledge Germany’s responsibility for the events at the commemoration event and to apologize to the bereaved.
Recently agreed on compensation payments
Shortly before the anniversary, the federal government and the bereaved agreed on compensation of 28 million euros after decades of dispute. This avoided a scandal at the memorial event – for a long time it was unclear whether the bereaved and Herzog would take part.
On September 5, 1972, Palestinian terrorists attacked the Israeli team at the Olympic Games in Munich. Eleven members of the team and one police officer were killed, most of them during the failed rescue operation by the police at the Fürstenfeldbruck air base. The safety precautions were considered inadequate.