Israel, Germany agree to boost counterterrorism cooperation amid threat from Iran

Declaration signed by Netanyahu and visiting German interior minister a message to Israel’s enemies that ‘our eyes are on them at all times and everywhere,’ PM says

Israel and Germany signed a security pact Sunday to expand cooperation on counterterrorism and cyber defense, 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 Netanyahu’s office said.

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

“Israel’s enemies should know: our eyes are on them at all times and everywhere,” the statement added.

The declaration was signed by 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,” Netanyahu said in a separate statement.

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

Last month, Germany approved a $3.1 billion expansion of a contract for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile defense system, which is Israeli-made and developed with US support.

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

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

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.

The meetings came two days after Germany called on Israel to halt its controversial E1 settlement project, warning that its construction carries the risk of creating more instability in the West Bank and the region.