For a farewell visit, Germany's Merkel to head to Israel next week  

For a farewell visit before her expected departure from office, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Israel next week, said Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday.

Merkel remained in power for around 16 years.

Citing the tense situation in Afghanistan, the leader had cancelled a planned trip from August 28 to 30 to Israel. At that time, the United States, Germany and others were evacuating personnel and several Afghans ahead of an August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of foreign troops.

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Merkel "will arrive here early next week for an important farewell visit", said Bennett in Israel's parliament. The leader had last visited Israel in 2018.

In power since 2005, Merkel plans to step down after a new government is formed.

Earlier, Germans voted in the national elections in a tight race between Social Democrats (SPD) and Merkel's CDU-CSU conservative alliance.

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Olaf Scholz was heading the Social Democrat (SPD) while Merkel had backed Armin Laschet of the CDU-CSU.

Chancellor Angela Merkel had also urged Germans to give her would-be successor Laschet their vote to shape Germany's future, in a last-ditch push to shore up his beleaguered campaign 24 hours before Germans vote.

(With inputs from agencies)