German conservative leader and election winner Friedrich Merz intends to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an official visit to Germany, despite an outstanding international warrant for his arrest, Netanyahu said on Monday.
Netanyahu’s office stated that he had a “cordial conversation” with the likely future chancellor on Sunday evening after the election and congratulated him on his success.
It further said that Merz announced an official invitation to Netanyahu, describing it as an “open challenge against the scandalous decision of the International Criminal Court to label the prime minister as a war criminal.”
Last year, international arrest warrants were issued for Netanyahu and the then Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on account of alleged war crimes in the Gaza war.
Merz stated after consultations with his party’s top committees in Berlin on Monday that he had told Netanyahu in the phone call that they should meet soon after the formation of the government.
“I also assured him that we will find ways and means for him to visit and leave Germany without being arrested,” Merz added. “I consider it a completely absurd notion that an Israeli prime minister cannot visit the Federal Republic of Germany.”
