Germany: Netanyahu's arrest "hard to imagine"

A mund të arrestohet kryeministri izraelit, Benjamin Netanyahu në Gjermani pas urdhër arrestit ndërkombëtar të GJNP? Qeveria federale në verifikim.

2024-11-23 09:34:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The German minority government, now composed of the Social Democrats and the Greens, would certainly have liked to avoid this issue, even if it had realized long ago that this problem was approaching: the International Criminal Court (ICC) - (ICC) in The Hague issued international arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant. Argument: There are sufficient reasons to assume that with the war in the Gaza Strip, both are charged as complicit in crimes against humanity and war crimes. An arrest warrant was also issued for Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri.

Germany, a strong supporter of the Court in The Hague

Germany is considered one of the biggest supporters of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which began operations in July 2002 and has 124 member states. However, it does not include important countries such as the USA or Russia. It should be remembered that the Court itself does not have the capacity to execute arrest warrants. But its member states – including Germany – are officially obliged to arrest wanted persons if they are on their territory. In other words: If Netanyahu comes to Germany, he would have to be arrested. Or not?

Germany: Netanyahu's arrest "hard to imagine"

It should not be forgotten that there is also the special historical responsibility of Germany towards Israel. This made German reactions to the Hague decision sound like a strained, "so" "so". German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) appeared on German First Television (ARD) from the climate conference in Baku. She said: "We abide by the law at national, European and international level. And that is why we are now looking carefully at what this means for us in terms of international enforcement."

A little later, the government issued a press statement in Berlin that said: "The Federal Government is aware of the decision of the International Criminal Court on the arrest warrants requested against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Joav. Galant. " Here again, like Baerbock's statement, the word "review" appears, which the government now wants to do. And he goes on to say: "It would be a question of further actions, if the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the former Minister of Defense, Joav Galant, were expected to stay in Germany".

Germany: Netanyahu's arrest "hard to imagine"

Netanyahu was in Germany a year and a half ago

Almost relieved, other German government politicians stressed on Friday that a visit by Netanyahu is not expected in the near future. The head of the Israeli government was last in Berlin for a visit to Berlin in March 2023, six months before Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist militant group, is classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the US, Germany and other countries.

As with about ten other countries, Germany holds so-called governmental consultations with Israel, ie. meetings of the government cabinets of both parties. Government consultations aim to highlight the special bilateral relationship. Such a meeting first took place in Jerusalem in 2008 under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), and the last was in October 2018.

Government spokesman: Arrest hard to imagine

How will the German federal government act with the decision? Many journalists wanted to know this at a press conference. In response to a question about the dilemma between the criminal court and solidarity with Israel, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said: "On the one hand there is the importance of the International Criminal Court, which we strongly support, and on the other hand the historical responsibility, as you quoted. In the light of these two aspects, I could be tempted to say that it is difficult for me to imagine that we would make arrests in Germany."

The Prime Minister of Hesse, CDU: The decision is "absurd"

While the German government struggles to find a clear line between basic support for Israel and support for the criminal court, other German politicians have it easier. The prime minister of the federal state of Hesse, Boris Rhein (CDU), called the arrest warrants "absurd" on Friday. Israel has been in a war for more than a year, launched by the terrorist organization Hamas with its barbaric attack on innocent citizens, Rhein added: "It is completely impossible for me that a democratically elected prime minister of Israel should be arrested on German soil, because he defends his country against terrorists." But Rhein also knows that it is difficult to imagine Netanyahu visiting Germany./ DW