(Dan Tri) – The German government announced that it will cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) if a proposed arrest warrant is issued against the Israeli Prime Minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Shutterstock).
At a press conference on May 22, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit was asked whether Berlin would enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if this warrant was issued.
`Of course yes, we comply with the law,` Mr. Hebestreit said.
The statement by the German government spokesman came after Israeli Ambassador to Berlin Ron Prosor called on the government of German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz to oppose the ICC’s possible arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister.
`The claim that Israel has the right to self-defense is no longer valid if our hands are tied when it comes to self-defense. The prosecutor general equated a democratic government with Hamas, thereby defaming and delegitimizing Israel.`
Ambassador Prosor added that Germany has a responsibility to `recalibrate this guideline`.
A German government spokesman declined to comment directly on the Israeli government’s proposal.
France, one of the 124 countries that recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, also shares the same view as Germany.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide announced on May 22 that if the ICC issues an arrest warrant for Israeli officials, this country will be obliged to execute the arrest warrant if they come to Norway.
Previously, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said he was seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
A panel of ICC judges will consider prosecutor Karim Khan’s application for an arrest warrant.
Mr. Khan said the charges against the Hamas leadership group included `massacre, murder, hostage taking, rape and sexual assault in detention`.
The current spiral of fighting between Israel and Hamas broke out on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group attacked Israeli territory, killing more than 1,100 people and taking more than 250 people hostage.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians are estimated to have died in Gaza in Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks.
