Yair Lapid will become Israel’s interim Prime Minister following the collapse of the governing coalition. Photo: Reuters/Abir Sultan

i24 News – Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid will visit Germany next month, shortly before his trip to New York to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Lapid will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss, among other things, Berlin’s request to purchase the Israeli-made Arrow 3 anti-missile system. Negotiations began with former prime minister Naftali Bennett in early 2022, and they are expected to continue for some time due to the complexity of the agreement.

Israel wants to ensure that there will be no spillover of advanced technological developments to foreign parties, meaning Germany and other countries interested in the Arrow 3 will not be able to receive the most advanced versions of the system.

European countries are increasingly interested in purchasing defensive and offensive weapons systems after Russia invaded Ukraine some six months ago.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited Germany last week, where he accused Israel of “50 massacres, 50 Holocausts” against the Palestinians, drawing ire from the international community.

Israel’s ambassador in Berlin said that German politicians were furious with Abbas “for exploiting the stage he got.”

Lapid tweeted shortly after: “Mahmoud Abbas accusing Israel of having committed ’50 Holocausts’ while standing on German soil is not only a moral disgrace, but a monstrous lie.”

“Six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, including one and a half million Jewish children. History will never forgive him.”