Germany implies it won’t arrest Netanyahu if he visits because of its Nazi history

This response is in contrast to the spokesman’s statement in the spring that Germany would “obey the law” if the International Criminal Court issued the arrest warrants.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

In its response to the ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Germany implied that it would not arrest Netanyahu because of the country’s Nazi history, The Telegraph reports.

This response is in contrast to the spokesman’s statement in the spring that Germany would “obey the law” if the International Criminal Court issued the arrest warrants.

A number of European countries have said they would abide by the ICC decision.

However, Steffen Hebestreit, a government spokesman, said in response to the question of whether Germany would arrest Netanyahu and Gallant, “I find it hard to imagine that arrests could be carried out in Germany on this basis.”

Hebestreit said although Germany was a major supporter of the ICC and had “taken note” of its decision, it was reluctant to indicate it would arrest Israeli ministers because of Germany’s history and its relationship with Israel.

He said, “At the same time, it is a consequence of German history that we share unique relations and great responsibility with Israel.”

“We will carefully examine the domestic steps. Any further action would only be taken when a visit [to Germany] by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant is foreseeable,” he added.

In an interview with the Telegraph, Ron Prosor, the Israeli ambassador to Berlin, has become Israel’s “second strategic partner” after the United States, partly because of its “amazing” response to October 7th.

The recent statement by Hebestreit is in marked contrast to his remarks in May that Germany would arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if the ICC issued arrest warrants.

When asked if Germany would obey the ICC’s warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, Chancellor Scholz’s spokesman responded, “Of course. Yes, we abide by the law.”

Israel’s ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor condemned the statement on X, and wrote, “This is outrageous! 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 added that the German principle of “Staatsräson is being put to the test.”

“Staatsräson,” translated as “raison d’etre” or “reason of state” is a term former German Chancellor Angela Merkel used to characterize the pivotal role Israel’s security plays in Germany’s national identity.

Following the Hamas massacre on October 7th, Chancellor Scholz said, “It was Germany’s duty, given its history and its responsibility for the Holocaust, to stand up against antisemitism.”

Benjamin NetanyahuGermanyICCYoav Gallant