German Ambassador Seibert Bids Farewell to Israel in Hebrew

German Ambassador Steffen Seibert is stepping down this week, concluding his four-year tenure in Israel. The former TV journalist, aged 66, bid a public farewell in fluent Hebrew through a video message posted on platform X, confirming Tuesday as his final day before retirement.

"A large part of my heart will remain here," Seibert stated in the three-minute video, shared during a walk along Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard. He enumerated 25 reasons why he would miss Israel, citing elements from Israeli songs and culinary specialties to national symbols like the hoopoe, Israel's national bird.

Seibert also highlighted the Israeli-Palestinian forum of individuals who have lost relatives in the conflict and praised Israeli volunteers who protect Palestinians in the West Bank from settler violence. He particularly noted the Israel National Trail, a long-distance hiking path he had personally traversed in stages, with DER SPIEGEL having documented his journey.

His time as ambassador occurred during a particularly dramatic period for Israel, and his tenure was not without controversy. In March, an X post by Seibert addressing settler violence drew criticism from Israel's Foreign Ministry for perceived lack of empathy. The German Foreign Office publicly supported Seibert at the time. In 2023, Israel had formally protested Seibert's attendance as an observer at a Supreme Court hearing concerning the controversial judicial reform.

Following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Seibert actively advocated for the release of hostages, including German citizens. Concurrently, he repeatedly expressed concern over the suffering of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza war, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. His successor has already been appointed. Prior to his posting in Israel, Seibert served for over eleven years as the government spokesperson under Chancellor Angela Merkel, having previously gained recognition as a ZDF television journalist.