Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Taiwan’s President: Taiwan will adopt a self-defense strategy to confront China’s threats.
Taiwan’s President: “One country, two regimes” is a red line for Taiwan.
Taiwan’s President: Beijing continues to increase military drills and gray zone harassment near Taiwan.
Palestinian sources: Apache helicopters open fire over Tubas in northern West Bank.
No specific date for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump says.
Witkoff will meet Putin in Moscow next week, Trump says
Trump: The 28-point plan for Ukraine is but a map.
Trump: Ukraine is happy, and Europe will participate in security measures.
Trump says progress is being made in Ukraine.
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Gaza: Israeli airstrikes target eastern Khan Younis.

Scholz gives in to Israeli pressure, flips on arresting Netanyahu

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 24 May 2024 21:58
  • 4 Shares
3 Min Read

Scholz is contradicting himself on previous statements he made where he claimed that Germany would "abide by the law" if arrest warrants were issued for Israeli officials.

  • x
  • Scholz says 'no warrant' when asked about arresting Netanyahu
    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part in a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Portugal Luis Montenegro in Berlin on May 24, 2024. (AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined to comment on whether Germany would execute an International Criminal Court arrest order for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, citing that no warrant had yet been issued and "Israel's" judiciary operated independently.

Scholz stated during a joint news conference in Berlin with Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro that "a chamber of judges will decide," when questioned about the ICC prosecutor's request for a warrant over "Israel's" onslaught in Gaza.

When evaluating whether to grant a warrant, judges "shall bear in mind that Israel is a democratic state with a strong and independent judiciary," Scholz stated. 

Should the ICC's pretrial chamber issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the court's 124 member states would be treaty-bound to apprehend the Israelis if they enter their territory. While the United States and "Israel" have not signed the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding document, many Western powers, including several European countries, are signatories and have expressed support for the ICC's autonomy.

When questioned this week about whether his government would comply with an arrest warrant for an Israeli official, a spokesperson for Scholz affirmed, "Yes, we abide by the law."

"Israel" afterward slammed the chancellor for his affirmation, as its government spokesperson Avi Hyman told Fox News that he recalled Scholz's visit to the occupation after October 7 when he called Hamas the "new Nazis".

It is noteworthy that it was Netanyahu who made such claims, not Scholz.

The Israeli occupation and US officials have not been shy about exerting immense pressure to avoid any repercussions for Israeli officials, going as far as to threaten the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan. 

Earlier this week, Khan announced that he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israeli Minister Yoav Gallant, along with three top leaders of Hamas. Netanyahu and numerous other Israeli officials criticized the move, while President Biden and many US lawmakers condemned it. Other US officials are mobilizing to impose sanctions on the ICC.

Zeteo earlier reported that Khan received a stern warning from 12 Republican senators, threatening him with "severe sanctions" if he issued international arrest warrants for Israeli officials, the news website Zeteo reported.

Khan was warned that any attempt by the ICC to hold Netanyahu and his officials accountable for their crimes in Gaza would be interpreted "not only as a threat to Israel's sovereignty but to the sovereignty of the United States."

"Target Israel and we will target you," the senators threatened, citing sanctions on Khan's employees and his associates, adding that they and their families would be "barred from the United States."

  • Olaf Scholz
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Germany
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • Palestine
  • ICC
  • ICJ

Most Read

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

  • Politics
  • 19 Nov 2025
Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of Haitham al-Tabatabai

Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of commander Haitham Tabatabai

  • West Asia
  • 23 Nov 2025
Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

  • Analysis
  • 19 Nov 2025
Hezbollah publishes biography of martyred leader Haitham al-Tabatabai

Hezbollah publishes biography of martyred leader Haitham Tabatabai

  • Politics
  • 23 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
A French UN peacekeeper stands beside an armored vehicle at his base, waiting to move with his unit for a patrol along the Lebanese-Israeli border in Deir Kifa, southern Lebanon, Wednesday, August 20, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UNIFIL: Israeli wall crosses Blue Line, seizes land in Lebanon

President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are seated for a dinner in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Politics

MBS resisted Trump's push for 'Israel' deal during last meeting: Axios

Hezbollah fighters carry the coffin of Hezbollah Chief of Staff Haytham Tabtabai during his funeral procession in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, November 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah leader mourns Hezbollah commander al-Tabatabai

Bodies of unidentified Palestinians returned from the occupied Palestinian territories as part of the ceasefire deal are buried in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, November 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Study: Gaza life expectancy cut nearly in half, over 100,000 killed

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS