Germany has confirmed that it will arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country, following the International Criminal Court's (ICC) call to charge him with war crimes. This announcement, made by Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, underscores Germany's commitment to uphold international law, despite its historically strong support for Israel.
"We abide by the law," Hebestreit stated unequivocally when asked if Germany would execute an ICC arrest order against Netanyahu. This stance marks a significant moment in Germany's foreign policy, reflecting a shift towards prioritizing legal obligations over diplomatic relations.
The ICC's decision to pursue charges against Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, the ruler in Gaza, has sparked a global debate. The charges stem from alleged war crimes related to the October 7 attack by Hamas and Israel's subsequent military actions in Gaza. Prosecutor Karim Khan announced the warrants on Monday, citing crimes such as extermination, murder, and targeting civilians.
Netanyahu has fiercely condemned the allegations, calling them a "distortion of reality" and accusing the ICC of fueling antisemitism. "The prosecutor is callously pouring gasoline on the fires of antisemitism that are raging across the world," he said, highlighting the deep-seated tensions surrounding the charges.
Israel's Ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, has made a fervent appeal to the German government to reject the ICC's warrant. Taking to social media, Prosor denounced the decision as "outrageous" and a test of Germany's commitment to Israel's security. "The public statement that Israel has the right to self-defense loses credibility if our hands are tied as soon as we defend ourselves," he argued.
The controversy brings to the forefront Germany's "Staatsräson," a term referring to the nation's pledge to ensure Israel's security, which former Chancellor Angela Merkel declared as a fundamental principle of German state policy in a 2008 speech to the Israeli Knesset.
Prosor's impassioned plea reflects the broader Israeli sentiment, with Netanyahu and other officials vehemently opposing the ICC's move. Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz described the warrants as a "historical disgrace," while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich labeled the decision as an act of "hypocrisy and Jew-hatred."
International reactions have been mixed. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson deemed the ICC's action "not helpful," emphasizing that it would not aid in achieving a ceasefire or delivering humanitarian aid. The U.S. President Joe Biden called the ICC's move "outrageous," while other leaders, like Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer, questioned the equivalence drawn between Israel's democratic government and Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, countries such as Belgium and Slovenia have supported the ICC's ongoing investigation, insisting that crimes committed in Gaza must be prosecuted at the highest level. Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib hailed the warrants as an "important step" in addressing the situation in Palestine.
The ICC's formation was a direct response to the atrocities of the Holocaust, with Germany being one of its significant donors. The potential arrest of Israeli leaders in Germany, given its historical context, has provoked intense media scrutiny and public debate.
