President Isaac Herzog sent a letter to German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday, in which he expressed his condolences for the lives lost in the heavy floods in Western Germany.
"I would like to express my friendship and condolences to you and to the German people in these difficult days," Herzog wrote. He added that he was praying for the people killed, injured, or missing in the catastrophe, and pledged that Israel would stand by Germany's side and provide assistance in every way possible.
Herzog also acknowledged the extreme weather all over the world, and added that he completely agreed with Steinmeier that "the way to prevent these floods is by fighting climate change," adding that "Israel will be a partner to any initiative meant to solve this urgent crisis." Over the past several days the floods, which have mostly hit the German states of Rhineland Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia and eastern Belgium, have cut off entire communities from power and communications.
Tens of thousands of residents in the region have been evacuated in the past two days, while soldiers, fire brigades and volunteers worked frantically throughout Friday night to enforce dykes and prevent flooding.
Over 170 people have been proclaimed dead so far.