Merz defies the Chancellor's spokesman's proposal.
The idea of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on accusations brought up by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is sparking a contentious discussion. CDU leader Merz vehemently criticizes Germany's response to this issue, specifically targeting Government Spokesperson Hebestreit.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz has fiercely criticized the International Criminal Court's actions against Israel and the German government. He labels the request for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leadership of the radical Islamic Hamas as an "absurd reversal of perpetrator-victim." Merz expressed his disapproval in an interview with the Bild newspaper, stating that "the German government's silence, including the government spokesman's suggestion that Netanyahu could be arrested on German soil, is now really becoming a scandal."
Previously, Government Spokesman Steffen Hebestreit addressed the question of whether Germany would follow the ICC's decisions by affirming, "Yes, we will abide by the law." However, since the Criminal Court had not yet made a call on the request from Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, it was still a hypothetical situation.
When asked about Israel's plea for governments in the "civilized world" to disregard the arrest warrants, the government spokesman avoided the question. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke with Bild, emphasizing, "We appreciate the independence of courts. We can't just pick and choose: Today we like a court and tomorrow we don't."
Merz then expressed his disagreement, stating, "Of course you can and must criticize the Israeli government now. But the International Criminal Court was established to prosecute tyrants and authoritarian leaders, not to arrest democratically elected officials." He demands a statement from Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD): "What is the solidarity with Israel supposed to be worth if the German government spokesman makes such statements? And does that also represent the Federal Chancellor's opinion?"
Germany faces a complicated political situation
On Monday, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as the leaders of the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas, for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Israel responded with outrage, and the United States expressed strong criticism against the ICC's prosecution of Netanyahu and Gallant. The German Federal Foreign Office noted that the simultaneous request for arrest warrants against Hamas leaders and Israeli government representatives "creates a false impression of equivalence."
Unlike the USA, Russia, or Israel, Germany is a signatory to the ICC and has traditionally supported international organizations and courts. This creates a dilemma within the government, as it is seen as challenging not to execute an existing arrest warrant if Netanyahu were to travel to Germany. On the other hand, the arrest of an Israeli head of government is viewed as extremely sensitive due to Germany's role in the Holocaust.
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Source: www.ntv.de
