German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem after talks were canceled last year when the diplomat met with an Israeli whistleblower group critical of the military.

Standing alongside Netanyahu on Wednesday, Gabriel said: "Israel always can count on Germany as a fair partner to defend the security of Israel."

Netanyahu abruptly canceled a meeting in April with Gabriel over his meeting with Breaking the Silence, a group of Israeli army veterans critical of the country's military actions in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israeli leaders oppose the group's work, citing the anonymity of its claims and its outreach efforts abroad to foreign audiences.

The incident sparked a rare diplomatic feud with Germany, one of Israel's closest and most important allies.