Israel on Thursday hit back against a pledge by German officials to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if the International Criminal Court issues a warrant for his arrest.
On Wednesday, Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said the country would “of course” arrest the Israeli leader if the ICC moves forward with issuing arrest warrants because they “abide by the law.”
In response, government spokesman Avi Hyman told Fox News, "Many in the world need to check their moral compass and be on the right side of history."
Earlier this week, Israel’s ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor blasted the potential move by the ICC as "outrageous."
“The public statement that Israel has the right to self-defense loses credibility if our hands are tied as soon as we defend ourselves," Prosor wrote on X.
In seeking an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas’ top leaders, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan “equates a democratic government with Hamas, thereby demonizing and delegitimizing Israel and the Jewish people," Prosor said.
"He has completely lost his moral compass. Germany has a responsibility to readjust this compass,” Prosor added. "This disgraceful political campaign could become a nail in the coffin for the West and its institutions. Do not let it come to that!"
This is outrageous! The German 'Staatsräson' is now being put to the test—no ifs or buts. This contrasts with the weak statements we hear from some institutions and political actors. The public statement that Israel has the right to self-defense loses credibility if our hands are… https://t.co/otONmN1ck5
— Ambassador Ron Prosor (@Ron_Prosor) May 21, 2024
Khan accused Netanyahu and Gallant of “war crimes and crimes against humanity" in Israel's response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. The Israeli leader in turn accused him of “callously pouring gasoline on the fires of antisemitism that are raging across the world.”