Merz invites Netanyahu to Berlin in ‘open challenge’ to ‘scandalous’ ICC warrant

Germany’s presumed new Chancellor has invited Benjamin Netanyahu to Berlin in an “open challenge” to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against him, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed.

Friedrich Merz held a “warm conversation” with Netanyahu in the wake of his victory in German federal elections over the weekend.

Merz, who is expected to lead the government at the head of a two-party coalition, was said to have criticised the ICC’s decision to issue the warrant as “scandalous” during the call.

In theory, as a signatory to the ICC’s founding Rome Statute, Germany would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu once he touches down for the visit.

But Merz has apparently signalled that the Israeli leader will be officially received and that this obligation will be ignored.

The warrants, issued against Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November and accusing the pair of war crimes and crimes against humanity, have drawn stinging criticism among Israel and its allies.

In Washington, both the Trump and Biden administrations have rejected the warrants, with Trump imposing sanctions that insiders have said could “destroy” the court.

The UK Government, though, has indicated that it would arrest Netanyahu were he to visit, with a Downing Street spokesperson saying at the time that the UK would “fulfil its legal obligations” with regard to the ICC.

Merz’s party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), confirmed that the call took place but declined to comment on its content.

The party is set to form the largest bloc in the new Bundestag, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) coming in second with 20 per cent of the vote – the largest share a far-right party has achieved since the Second World War.

However, the CDU and other conservative parties have explicitly ruled out forming a coalition with the AfD, despite working with the party for the first time to pass a motion on immigration rules and, in the process, breaking down a “firewall” of major parties refusing to rely on the far-right for votes which had been in place for 75 years.

The move drew intense criticism from former long-time CDU leader Angela Merkel, who accused Merz of U-turning on his election promises.

Merz himself has been unusually vocal in the wake of his election win, using his first address to outwardly reject the role of the US in European security and expressing reservation about the Trump administration despite their shared conservatism.

He promised to “strengthen Europe as quickly as possible” to “achieve independence from the USA” and said his priority was “unity in Europe”.

Merz is also known for being staunchly pro-Israel and has called the recognition of Israel’s right to exist a “basic prerequisite” of any peace process, as well as publicly criticising the ICC over the Netanyahu arrest warrant.

He is known to favour a two-state solution but has said that Germany will be with Israel “with no ifs or buts” under his leadership.

Yet he has equally suggested that he does not see a role for Germany as a mediator in the conflict and is seemingly focussed more on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, having urged former chancellor Olaf Scholz to send more weapons and financial support to the Zelensky government.