Steffen Seibert, the long-time spokesman of former chancellor Angela Merkel, has officially taken office as Germany’s new ambassador to Israel. The 62-year-old presented his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday. “The friendship between Israel and Germany is a treasure, and I am honoured to work to strengthen it,” Seibert wrote on Twitter after the official ceremony in Jerusalem. “Without forgetting the past, we look to the future together,” the Israeli president said, praising Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security. (https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/former-merkel-spokesman-becomes-german-ambassador-to-israel/ar-AA10sQVK) Seibert was government spokesman under Merkel for more than 11 years. Before that, he worked as a television journalist for public broadcaster ZDF. In Israel, he has taken over the post from the previous ambassador, Susanne Wasum-Rainer, who had her last working day there at the end of June.