ALBAWABA - During his first visit to Israel since becoming Chancellor, Friedrich Merz made it clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be able to go to Berlin in the future because of the legal issues surrounding the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against him.
In Jerusalem on Sunday, Merz spoke with Netanyahu at a joint press conference and said that the issue of a visit "was not discussed and there is no reason to discuss it right now." He also said that an invitation might be possible in the future if the conditions are right, but he stressed that this is not the case right now.
The statement comes as Israel's diplomatic options are getting smaller because the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant in 2024, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the two-year Gaza conflict.
Merz and Netanyahu met behind closed doors, and then there were more talks that included Israel Katz, the Israeli Defense Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, the Foreign Minister, and high-ranking security officials. There were no details given about the talks.
Berlin shows support for Israel, but tensions are still high.
Merz met with President Isaac Herzog separately and said that Germany would continue to support Israel. He also said that he hoped for a two-state solution, which Netanyahu's government strongly opposes.
Israeli newspaper Maariv said that Merz told Berlin that it wanted to play a bigger role in making plans for Gaza after the war. This is happening as talks about planning get more serious after the ceasefire.
In August, Merz made Israeli officials angry when Berlin temporarily stopped arms exports because of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The suspension was lifted in late November, when the ceasefire went into effect. Merz defended the choice, saying that Israel's actions raised moral and political questions, but he also said that relations stayed on track.
Analysts say that Merz's refusal to let Netanyahu visit shows how sensitive Germany is about officially hosting a leader wanted by the ICC, especially since Berlin is legally required to follow court orders under the Rome Statute.
