On 6 November 2025, as part of Berlin Science Week, Prof. David Harel, President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, took part in the “Falling Walls Impact Dialogue: 60 Years of Israeli–German Scientific Collaboration”, a panel highlighting six decades of dynamic partnership between the two countries’ scientific communities.
The Falling Walls Science Summit, the flagship event of Berlin Science Week, takes place each year around the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Organized by the Falling Walls Foundation, it brings together global leaders in science, business, and policy to explore “which walls will fall next” in research and innovation, a theme rooted in the historic symbolism of 1989 and the power of science to bridge divides.
In his address, Prof. Harel expressed deep appreciation for the long-standing friendship between Israeli and German science, calling it a “true, enduring friendship” built on shared values and mutual respect. Yet he also offered a sober warning: “Despite the great help from you, Israeli science is suffering from a major wave of international boycotting, which is a direct result of our government’s actions, notably the war in Gaza.”
He spoke about the moral responsibility of scientists in times of conflict, echoing reflections he had shared days earlier at the Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs in Hiroshima the week before:
“Even without dropping an atomic bomb, you can kill almost 100,000 people and turn a city into ruins using conventional weapons. This cannot be allowed to happen ever again.”
Prof. Harel concluded with a heartfelt appeal:
“Since you, our Germany friends and supporters, want to help build and maintain the strength of German–Israeli science, and science in general, we need your help in achieving three things: peace, peace, and peace!!”
He ended on a visionary note:
“I have a dream: to participate in a new kind of Falling-Walls-like summit, not in 60 years, but, say in 10 or 20… but between Israel and all the nations in the region, including Iran and Palestine.”
Prof. Harel’s participation reflected the Academy’s continued commitment to fostering scientific collaboration across borders and advocating for the role of science in advancing peace.