For the first time, the IDF Ground Forces and the German Army have signed a formal cooperation agreement. It’s a move that marks a new chapter in the strategic military partnership between Israel and Germany.

During a recent visit to Israel, the Commander of the German Army, Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, sat down with his Israeli counterpart, Major General Nadav Lotan, to make this strategic pact official. The agreement lays the groundwork for structured, ongoing collaboration in areas that really matter in volatile times: military doctrine, professional training, personnel development, and operational capabilities.

Before being briefed by Major General Lotan on the tactical lessons of the current war, Lieutenant General Freuding took an aerial tour of the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. Seeing the very sites where Israeli civilians were brutally massacred by Hamas on October 7 provides the starkest possible context. It shows exactly why a strong, capable, and well-supported IDF is an absolute necessity. He then visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, serving as a solemn reminder that our commitment to “Never Again” carries not just moral weight, but real strategic consequences.

Watching these defense developments closely, the vital importance of this bilateral relationship becomes incredibly clear. The Bundeswehr is currently undergoing its own profound structural and doctrinal transformation as it seeks to revitalize its ground forces and expand readiness. Honestly, there is no better partner to learn from than the IDF. The IDF has been forced to adapt, innovate, and fight under the most complex conditions imaginable over decades of asymmetric and high-intensity conflict – experience that makes the IDF an invaluable partner as it deepens its strategic ties with foreign allies.

At the same time, this agreement reflects a deep mutual recognition and establishes a solid basis for a joint work plan moving forward. By sharing its unmatched expertise in ground operations and force build-up, the IDF is actively helping the German Army position itself for an increasingly volatile global landscape. For Jerusalem, the benefit is about empowering a crucial European ally. In an era marked by renewed great power competition and persistent instability, this kind of strategic mentorship is an absolute necessity.

This agreement marks a welcome deepening of the already intense bilateral relationship. The longstanding ties between Germany and Israel can now expand additionally into the military field, maturing into a highly operational alliance designed to meet today’s pressing security demands.

(Sources: IDF Press Release 02/20/2026)

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