German election victor disregards ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
Friedrich Merz has stated that he will discover a method to circumvent the ICC warrant should Benjamin Netanyahu travel to Germany.
TroibNews 
Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union and the likely next chancellor, dismissed the notion that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot visit Germany. He stated that Netanyahu is free to travel without concerns about being detained under an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
In November 2024, the ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to the Gaza conflict, claims that Israel has labeled as anti-Semitic.
During a press conference on Monday, Merz, whose party recently won the German parliamentary election, announced that he had invited Netanyahu to visit Germany, despite the country being a signatory to the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC.
“I think it is a completely absurd idea that an Israeli prime minister cannot visit the Federal Republic of Germany,” he remarked. “We would find ways and means for him to visit Germany and leave again without being arrested.”
Netanyahu’s office later confirmed the discussion and the invitation, with the Israeli prime minister acknowledging Merz’s “overt defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the Prime Minister a war criminal.”
The ICC responded to Merz’s comments by stating that “it is not for states to unilaterally determine the soundness of the court’s legal decisions.” Additionally, Merz faced criticism from Germany’s Left Party, which condemned the invitation to Netanyahu as a “disaster” and accused him of “double standards.”
“If [Russian President] Vladimir Putin comes to Germany, then this arrest warrant must be implemented. The same applies to Netanyahu,” remarked Jan van Aken, co-leader of the party, referencing allegations against Putin regarding the forced deportation of children from Ukraine, which Moscow denies.
Both Israel and countries like the US, Russia, and China do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. While all EU members are signatories of the Rome Statute, many, including France, the Czech Republic, and Austria, have voiced skepticism about Netanyahu’s arrest warrant, and Hungary has explicitly refused to comply.
Germany has previously expressed skepticism about the warrant as well, citing its “historical responsibility” to Israel in light of the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish population.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
In November 2024, the ICC issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in relation to the Gaza conflict, claims that Israel has labeled as anti-Semitic.
During a press conference on Monday, Merz, whose party recently won the German parliamentary election, announced that he had invited Netanyahu to visit Germany, despite the country being a signatory to the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC.
“I think it is a completely absurd idea that an Israeli prime minister cannot visit the Federal Republic of Germany,” he remarked. “We would find ways and means for him to visit Germany and leave again without being arrested.”
Netanyahu’s office later confirmed the discussion and the invitation, with the Israeli prime minister acknowledging Merz’s “overt defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the Prime Minister a war criminal.”
The ICC responded to Merz’s comments by stating that “it is not for states to unilaterally determine the soundness of the court’s legal decisions.” Additionally, Merz faced criticism from Germany’s Left Party, which condemned the invitation to Netanyahu as a “disaster” and accused him of “double standards.”
“If [Russian President] Vladimir Putin comes to Germany, then this arrest warrant must be implemented. The same applies to Netanyahu,” remarked Jan van Aken, co-leader of the party, referencing allegations against Putin regarding the forced deportation of children from Ukraine, which Moscow denies.
Both Israel and countries like the US, Russia, and China do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. While all EU members are signatories of the Rome Statute, many, including France, the Czech Republic, and Austria, have voiced skepticism about Netanyahu’s arrest warrant, and Hungary has explicitly refused to comply.
Germany has previously expressed skepticism about the warrant as well, citing its “historical responsibility” to Israel in light of the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish population.
James del Carmen contributed to this report for TROIB News
