A delegation from the DGB, the German Trade Union Confederation, visited Israel on a solidarity mission last week to mark 50 years of partnership between the Histadrut and the DGB.
The delegation, led by DGB President Yasmin Fahimi, sat for a meeting with Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David and leading union chairs, met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, and met with Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, at an event held by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Israel. They also visited Yad Vashem, the Gaza Envelope, and Ramallah.
On their first day, Fahimi and other German union officials met with Bar-David and their Israeli counterparts at the Histadrut headquarters. They discussed various issues, including ways to combat anti-Israel activities in global unions, expanding youth exchange programs, and developing initiatives in the areas of equality and workplace safety.
“We are in a complex period and dealing with things that not every country experiences,” Bar-David told the delegation. “There is not a single day of peace, and within all the events—we are coping and taking care of the workers and stabilizing the Israeli economy.”
Bar-David acknowledged the challenges facing Israeli workers, including those in the ports, railways, government offices, and municipalities. He also noted the many residents who were evacuated from their homes and are now returning to rebuild their businesses.
Despite the difficulties, Bar-David expressed optimism for the future. “I believe in the Israeli worker and in the Israeli economy,” he said.
In addition to Fahimi, the DGB delegation included union chairs Frank Werneke, the chairman of Ver.Di; Michael Vassiliadis, the chairman of IGBCE, and Martin Burkert, the chairman of EVG. Other participants from the DGB included managing director Konrad Klingenburg, international relations director Annika Wünsche, and international relations officer Bernhard Schulz.
Fahimi described the first day of the visit as focusing on “friendship, partnership and future in the Middle East.” “We came from the DGB to Israel to show our solidarity with the people here,” she wrote.
“The solidarity visit of the DGB president and its affiliated union presidents is deeply heartwarming and important,” Gary Kaplan, the Histadrut’s international relations officer, said. “Solidarity is measured at times of crisis; never since the Holocaust have the Jewish people and the people of Israel been so isolated and ignored by most of the world which is also reflected within the global trade union movement.”
He noted that 2025 marks 50 years of partnership between the Histadrut and the DGB and 60 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany. “While the war has temporarily disrupted vital exchanges due to safety concerns, both the Histadrut and the DGB have found new ways to connect,” he said. “We continue to discuss workers’ rights, to learn from our shared history, and to work together for a better future for workers in both our countries and across the globe.”
