A delegation of leaders from the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) met with Histadrut Chair Arnon Bar-David on Wednesday in Tel Aviv as part of a DGB initiative to express solidarity with Israel and the Histadrut during Israel’s war with Gaza.
The meeting was attended by Stefan Körzell, one of four members of the DGB leadership team; Annika Wünsche, DGB’s international relations manager; and Brendan Shulz, a member of DGB’s international relations team who previously served as labor attache for the German ambassador to Israel. In addition to Bar David, the Histadrut was represented at the meeting by International Relations Chair Gershon Gelman, International Relations Director Peter Lerner, and International Relations Manager Avital Shapiro-Shabirow.
During its visit to Israel, the DGB delegation also met with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, toured Israeli communities on the border with Gaza, visited families who were evacuated to hotels, and witnessed educational programming from the Dror Israel movement.
“We welcome you and appreciate you,” Bar-David told the delegation during the meeting. “The covenant between Israel and Germany and between the Histadrut and DGB has stood many tests, and we greatly value you standing by our side during this difficult period. The struggle and war on terror has not ended. This is a war of the entire Western world against forces of darkness that can act anywhere. I am sure that we will fix what needs to be fixed and we will build new leadership in this country, with which we will also be partners.”
Bar-David said that the Histadrut has a complicated role during this period, especially regarding the current government. “We made sure that the economy wouldn’t be damaged and that workplaces would continue to work, some of which were under fire, like workers from the electricity company, the railway, and firefighters,” he said. “There are factories in Sderot, in Netivot, in the north. There are security industries that are working around the clock. Israel is a very strong country.”
“We need your help in congresses around the world,” Bar-David further told the DGB representatives. “I assume that in the coming year there will be no small amount of criticism of Israel, and that troubles me. I am sure that the friendship and the partnership between the two nations, the two states, and the unions, will continue.”
Stefan Körzell of the DGB leadership said, “It is important for us to be here in Israel, and to express solidarity. Real friendship is measured during the hour of crisis. That is why it is important to us to meet people from all sectors, to speak with them and to see what we are able to do in order to continue helping.”
Körzell expressed pride in the place of unions in today’s German society. “Many young people have entered unions in Germany and managed successful struggles for increased wages,” he said. “There is also great integration of women, and the head of five out of every eight unions is a woman.”
Histadrut International Relations Chair Gershon Gelman addressed the delegation, saying, “I very much value you having come at this time. This is an expression of the close relations between us and of Germany’s solidarity, both formal and informal.”
Histadrut International Relations Manager Avital Shapiro-Shabirow added, “Thank you for giving the word solidarity its true meaning. We will continue cooperating.”
