On the third anniversary of October 7, Meretz renews Germany’s support for Israel and calls for a two-state solution.

Today, Wednesday (October 7, 2026), German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed Germany's support for Israel, as the country commemorates the third anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack.

“Germany stands firmly with Israel,” Meretz said. “Our Israeli friends can count on our commitment to ensuring that a crime like this never happens again.”

He added: "We defend Israel's security and existence. This is a lesson learned from the Holocaust and is part of German identity."

On Wednesday, Israel commemorates the third anniversary of the Hamas movement’s attack on October 7, 2023, on its south, ahead of elections overshadowed by the repercussions of that bloodiest day in the country’s history.

It is noteworthy that the Hamas movement is an armed Palestinian Islamic group, classified in Germany, the European Union, the United States and other countries as a terrorist organization.

A minute of silence

Today, the Israelis are scheduled to hold a memorial vigil at the site of the Nova Music Festival near the Gaza border, where gunmen killed 348 young people during the attack.

“These are our heroes, the greatest sons of Israel,” a policeman said as he looked at photos of his dead colleagues.

Also, a minute of silence was observed in Kibbutz Kfar Azza near the border with Gaza, where 64 people were killed and 18 others were kidnapped, and in other locations. An event organized by families of victims will also be held in Tel Aviv in the evening.

They will also hold an event to commemorate the attack in what has become known as the Tel Aviv Hostage Square.

This anniversary is the first for the Israelis without any hostages remaining detained in Gaza, after the living and dead among them were exchanged with Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons. The remains of the last Israeli hostage were recovered in January.

The commemoration ceremony is being held under a heightened security alert, three weeks before the legislative elections, the first since the attack, and a week after an attempted attack on a Flydubai plane heading to Tel Aviv.

The two-state solution

Mertz said that his thoughts on this anniversary go to the victims, their families, survivors and former hostages, expressing his hope that "the pain and deep wounds left by this day - these brutal and barbaric acts" will heal.

In his statement, the German Chancellor called for efforts to lay the foundations for a new order in which Israelis, Palestinians and their neighbors can live in peace and security.

“We believe that the best way to achieve this goal is to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel,” Mertz said, warning of the rise of anti-Semitism in Germany, saying it is often left unchallenged.

“The federal government will do everything in its power to constantly combat anti-Semitism in all its new and old forms,” he said, adding that Jews should be able to live without fear throughout Germany.

He continued: "We will stand up to those who underestimate the importance of Israel's right to exist or even question it. Not only on October 7, but every day."