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Israeli and German fighter jets in joint military exercise "Blue Flag"
Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP
In a symbolic gesture, fighter jets of the German and Israeli air forces flew over Jerusalem together on Sunday.
The four planes were also shown in pictures over Israel's parliament, the Knesset.
The joint flight was the prelude to the international military exercise "Blue Flag", in which eight countries are participating.
The air forces of Israel, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Great Britain, the USA and India will practice various aerial combat scenarios together in the Israeli Negev desert over the next two weeks.
The flight maneuver over Jerusalem expressed "a strong partnership and connection between the air forces and the countries, as well as a commitment to a continuation of cooperation in the future," said the Israeli army.
According to the information, the air force chiefs of Germany and Israel, Ingo Gerhartz and Amikam Norkin, previously visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.
The German Air Force is taking part with six Eurofighters and around 160 soldiers in the multinational flight exercise, which is supposed to last until October 28th.
In total, more than a thousand soldiers and more than 60 fighter jets are involved.
jso / dpa / AFP
