Germany hints at complying with ICC arrest order for Netanyahu

BERLIN

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday hinted that her country would seek to implement an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant if issued by the International Criminal Court.

“We believe in the international law. This is the best security for every democratic state and this is why we believe in international order…Germany was one of the countries most engaged in the establishement of the ICC because this international court holds up the international order,” Baerbock said at the 21st Herzliya Security Conference in Israel.

“And this is why I made very clear that we do respect international courts as we respect in our democracies our own courts,” she added, stressing that her country would “not interfere in court cases.”

While Germany's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly expressed respect for the ICC's independence and its work, it also noted that issuing arrest warrants for both Hamas leaders and Israeli officials in the same application creates a false equivalence.

The European Union remains divided over a request by the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on war-crimes charges.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requested the court to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Palestinian officials, citing reasonable grounds to believe they bear criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity.