Israel signs security pact with Germany, cites Iran threat

JERUSALEM - Israel and Germany signed a security pact on Jan 11 to expand cooperation on counterterrorism and cyberdefence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said, citing threats posed by Iran and its allies.

“Iran and its proxies – Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis – threaten not only Israel but also regional stability and international security,” a statement from Mr Netanyahu’s office said.

“The declaration signed today anchors deep cooperation with Germany in the fields of cybersecurity, counterterrorism and advanced technologies.

“Israel’s enemies should know: Our eyes are on them at all times and everywhere.”

The declaration was signed by Mr Netanyahu and visiting German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.

“I think Germany and Israel are natural partners. We’ve cooperated on the Arrow III, we’ve cooperated in many areas,” Mr Netanyahu said in a separate statement.

The initiative formalises a broad security partnership between the security apparatuses of both countries, the statement said.

In December, Germany approved a US$3.1 billion (S$4 billion) expansion of a contract for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile defence system, which is Israeli-made and developed with US support.

The deal, originally signed in 2023, is now worth approximately US$6.5 billion. Israel says it is the country’s largest-ever military export contract.

Earlier on Jan 11, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar held talks with Mr Dobrindt, during which he urged the European Union to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “terrorist organisation”.

The call came as Iran has been rocked by deadly protests, initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, but quickly evolving into a broader movement challenging the theocratic government that has ruled the country since the 1979 revolution. AFP