Germany’s Likely Next Chancellor to Invite Netanyahu Despite ICC Arrest Warrant
Berlin (Quds News Network)- Friedrich Merz, Germany’s conservative leader, who is expected to become the next chancellor, announced his intention to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Germany. His decision defies an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz stated, “If he plans to visit Germany, I have promised myself that we will find a way to ensure his arrival and departure without arrest.”
Netanyahu congratulated Merz in a phone call after the conservative bloc won Germany’s general election on Sunday. According to Netanyahu’s office, Merz informed Netanyahu about his invitation. Germany is a signatory to the treaty that established the ICC.
A spokesperson for Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) confirmed the call but declined to comment on the details.
The ICC reacted to Merz’s remarks, emphasizing that its rulings are binding and that states cannot unilaterally disregard its legal authority.
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Both have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the genocide in Gaza.
The war in Gaza resulted in around 50,000 Palestinian deaths, over 110,000 injuries—mostly among women and children—and more than 10,000 missing persons. It is considered one of the deadliest humanitarian crises in recent history.
