Today, (Wednesday), President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, visited Kibbutz Be’eri together with President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, as part of the German President’s official state visit marking 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The visit took place against the backdrop of the significant contribution of the German Government toward the reconstruction of the Be’eri Gallery, which was completely destroyed in the October 7, 2023 terror attack and is now being rebuilt.
The visit began with a private meeting between the two presidents and members of the Be’eri leadership, as well as additional residents of the kibbutz, some of whom survived the October 7 massacre. The presidents then participated in a ceremony held at the site of the original gallery, where the plans for its reconstruction were presented. The event concluded with the planting of a tree by the Presidents of Israel and Germany as a symbol of renewal and hope for the Be’eri community.
President Isaac Herzog said: “For me, this event is full of symbolism. When we look at this and we say eighty years after the Holocaust, sixty years to the establishment of the relations, when we see still the ashes of that horrible, horrible atrocity of October 7 right here, and we are creating life together with this incredible community of Be’eri. So for me, the real honor, and it should be a worldwide honor, is for Kibbutz Be’eri and its members, and all of the dwellers of this region who heroically are going back and rebuilding and proving that the spirit of human beings overcome the worst of atrocities and pain and the fact that we are establishing – reestablishing – this gallery as a place of spirit is what gives us hope. And hopefully, I truly hope and believe that after the horrible period that we have gone through and are going through, we shall see also peace in this region with our neighbors. So God willing, let’s hope that we inaugurate the beautiful gallery and Be’eri thrives and flourishes, and the region thrives and flourishes in peace to the area.”
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “Almost a year and half ago, my wife and I stood here in Kibbutz Be’eri. What we saw then will never leave our memory: houses that were nothing but ruins, burnt trees, everyday objects and toys scattered around, the horror, the suffering. It went right through us, but we also felt something else – the will not to give up. The will to rebuild. Today we have returned to show our respect for your courage and the admiration for your strengths to rebuild. But still, I wish the overall situation would be different. Not all hostages are home. War is going on, and a lot of you could not yet return here. Here, a year ago, we were shocked by the atrocities committed by Hamas. We saw the destroyed art gallery, which we felt had been an attack on the values the kibbutz stands for: openness, culture and humanity. We promised to help to rebuild this place.”
He noted, “Yet we are further away from the future than we would wish. The kibbutz is not yet inhabited, the wounds are deep. Families are grieving, and we continue to wait for the return of the hostages, for life and safety. 585 days after the massacre, there are still hostages in the hands of Hamas, including German companions. Their fate is an open wound. Germany will not forget them, and I will not forget them. Our voice will not remain silent, as long as they have not returned.”
He concluded that, “The reconstruction of this gallery is a visible sign of our attitude against violence. It says: the enemies of freedom can destroy buildings, can extinguish human lives, but they cannot defeat what we stand for. The Be’eri you return to will be different from the one you left. It will know an unprecedented level of pain, of grief, and yet this place contains much more than this darkest day in history. The story of Be’eri goes back so much further than the 7th of October, 2023 and it’s not over. I hope that today will give you some hope – that it gives you a picture of the future that awaits you when you return to Be’eri. Thank you so much.”
Gal Cohen, Secretary of Kibbutz Be’eri, concluded: “Just days after the attack, you, President Steinmeier, came to Be’eri. Out of deep care, you chose to stand by our side and help us start anew through your support in rebuilding this gallery. The generous gift from the German people is a powerful statement that culture matters, that the human spirit matters, and that even after an unfathomable tragedy – we can still create. On behalf of all of us in Be’eri – thank you. Thank you for standing with us – not just in words, but in actions. Your presence here today reflects true friendship and the shared values that connect us. We also wish to thank President Herzog and First Lady Michal for their steadfast support throughout this challenging time, and for Michal’s wise and determined involvement in the gallery’s reconstruction.”
