Posted on 02/24/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Germany's likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, announced on Monday that he had extended an invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a visit, adding that arrangements would be made to prevent Netanyahu from being arrested under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued against him.
"I think it is a completely absurd idea that an Israeli prime minister cannot visit the Federal Republic of Germany," Merz stated during a press conference, a day after his conservative party secured the largest share of votes in the national election, as quoted by Reuters.
Merz added that he had spoken to Netanyahu over the phone, assuring him "that we would find ways and means for him to visit Germany and leave again without being arrested."
Netanyahu's office said the Prime Minister congratulated Merz on his victory. It also reported that Merz had assured Netanyahu he would welcome him to Germany "in defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the prime minister a war criminal."
The ICC, based in The Hague, issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallan, and several Hamas officials over alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.
Germany, along with all 27 EU member states, is a signatory of the ICC's founding treaty, which legally binds them to enforce arrest warrants issued by the court. However, there have been differing interpretations of how to handle the warrants.
France has stated that Netanyahu has immunity from ICC actions because Israel has not ratified the court’s statutes. Similarly, Italy has argued that arresting Netanyahu would not be feasible while he remains in office as Israel's Prime Minister.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof recently suggested that there could be ways for Netanyahu to visit the Netherlands without being arrested, despite the ICC arrest warrant against him.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated last month that Netanyahu would have safe passage and would not face arrest had he chosen to attend the 80th-anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell had urged all EU member states to respect the decisions of the ICC, including the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
"We cannot undermine the International Criminal Court. It is the only way of having global justice," Borrell said to reporters before the conclusion of his term in office.