"We abide by the law"
Netanyahu: Berlin does not rule out arrest
There is still no international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; the request by the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court has yet to be assessed and approved by judges. However, the mere fact that such efforts are being made is causing outrage in Israel and the USA. The German government is now indicating that it would abide by The Hague's decision.
In response to a question from journalists at the Federal Press Conference on Wednesday, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit explained that Germany is "fundamentally" a supporter of the International Criminal Court. "And that remains the case. We abide by the law," said Hebestreit, indicating that the possibility of Netanyahu being arrested in the event of a case cannot be ruled out. However, the spokesperson spoke of a "hypothetical question".
In addition to Netanyahu, Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan also wants to have Israeli Defense Minister Joav Gallant, Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Jihia al-Sinwar, political leader Ismail Haniya and Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif arrested. He accuses them of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Three ICC judges are now examining whether the evidence presented meets the requirements for issuing arrest warrants. There is no fixed deadline for the decision, which usually takes at least one month. In this sensitive case, the panel could take more time for the examination.
Great indignation in Israel and the USA
For the Israeli government, Khan's request has no basis whatsoever, as it believes he should not be allowed to investigate in the Gaza Strip. Neither the USA nor Israel recognize the Criminal Court. However, the Palestinian territories are a state party to the treaty. Khan is therefore allowed to investigate. Netanyahu has already taken aim at him (see video below), the USA is even considering sanctions against the chief prosecutor and other ICC staff.
SPD calls for "unbiased examination of the allegations"
A representative of the Chancellor's party emphasized to the magazine "Stern" that there must be an "unprejudiced examination of the accusations against Netanyahu", even if it is "regrettable and inappropriate to justify the applications for arrest warrants against members of Hamas and the Israeli government in the same breath". In this context, SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich warned against a "premature commentary" on the arrest warrant application.
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