Germany's Baerbock takes cautious stance on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

BERLIN

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock responded cautiously Friday to questions about the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking to public broadcaster ARD, Baerbock reiterated Germany's commitment to international law and judicial independence, but avoided saying whether Berlin would implement the ICC’s arrest warrant for Netahyahu and his defense chief.

“We uphold the independence of the judiciary – of course nationally, at the European level, and also internationally. We have made this clear in the past, and we have also made it clear that we abide by the law,” she said.

Asked whether German authorities will execute the arrest warrant should Netanyahu or his defense chief enter German territory, Baerbock called such scenarios “theoretical” for the time being, as neither official has indicated any plans to visit Germany.

“As I said, we abide by the law and legislation nationally, at the European level and internationally, and that is why we are now examining exactly what that means for us for implementation in Germany,” Baerbock said, without making any further comments on the ICC arrest warrants.

The German government has been a staunch supporter of Israel, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Baerbock repeatedly saying Germany bears special responsibility for Israel’s security due to the country’s Nazi past. Berlin last month resumed arms sales to Israel despite international concerns about a genocidal military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The Hague court announced in a landmark move Thursday that it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant after accusing them of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.

Gallant served as defense minister until just weeks ago, for over a year of Israel’s relentless offensive on Gaza.

The warrants come as Israel’s genocidal offensive in Gaza recently entered its second year, having already killed 44,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 103,000 others.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing and deliberate blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, pushing the population to the brink of starvation.