Germany's Merz Defies ICC, Invites Netanyahu Amid Controversy

Friedrich Merz, Germany's likely next chancellor, plans to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Germany, defying an ICC arrest warrant. Despite ICC's allegations of war crimes against Netanyahu, Merz shows solidarity towards Israel, which disputes the court's jurisdiction and denies the charges.

Germany's incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, announced his intent to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Germany, despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). This move signals Merz's defiance against the court's decision to indict Netanyahu on war crime charges.

The invitation came after Merz's conservative party clinched a win in the recent national election. In a congratulatory phone call with Netanyahu, Merz reassured him of Germany's support and criticized the ICC's decision, which brands the Israeli leader a war criminal.

A representative for Merz's CDU party confirmed the call but refrained from providing details about their conversation. Although Germany is bound by the ICC's treaty, Merz's actions underscore the nation's unique historical relationship with Israel. Meanwhile, Israel continues to reject the ICC's jurisdiction and denies the allegations leveled against Netanyahu and former military figures.