​(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Sunday, 7 May 2017), met with German President Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
 
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
 
"We have a unique partnership, a unique alliance. I think it’s born of a special historic perspective, understanding of the importance of ensuring that we secure a future of peace and prosperity for Israel. This means, obviously, the creation of a Jewish state, of an army capable of defending ourselves with soldiers who are courageous and commanders who are equally courageous, with moral standards second-to-none.
 
Equally we have developed a great economic partnership. We are two advanced technological societies. We have much to gain by seizing the future together, and I don’t think we need to recommend German know-how to Israelis, nor do we need to recommend Israeli innovation to Germans. We understand both the advantages of progress.
 
We would like to seize the future for peace as well. This is something that has been achieved partly with two of our neighbors. We’d like to complete the circle of peace, but we recognize that for there to be peace, we have to educate our children for peace. We do so in Israel. I wish that the same were true of the Palestinian Authority. Just a few weeks ago, the Fatah Facebook praised the Munich massacre as a heroic act. It wasn’t – and praising it is not a heroic act and it goes against the possibilities of peace.
 
What we’d like to see is a change and the change would come from international demand for accountability from the Palestinian Authority, and ask them to back their words outside with words inside. That is: Teach their children peace. Peace is what we seek and peace is what we hope we can get with your help and the help of other leaders who will ask such a change of heart that is so important for our common future."