Incoming Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz on Monday says the Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu can visit Germany despite the arrest warrant issued on the Israeli leader by the International Criminal Court, ICC over Israel war with Palestinians fighters, Hamas in Gaza, just as Merz also said that his government will do all he could to build good ties with President Donald Trump led US government but he’s ready for the worse if the US decided to act otherwise.

Friedrich Merz who spoke in his native language during a press conference in Berlin, Germany on Monday said he would make sure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could visit Germany despite the ICC arrest order.

The Press Conference held a day after his conservative Christian Democratic Union CDU, party won national elections, saw Merz saying he had told Netanyahu in a congratulatory phone call that the pair should meet after a new German government is formed.

Friedrich Merz in his words as interpreted and reported by Al-Jazeera, said: “In the event that he [Netanyahu] plans to visit Germany, I have promised myself that we will find a way to ensure that he can visit Germany and leave again without being arrested.

I think it’s a really absurd idea that an Israeli prime minister can’t visit the Federal Republic of Germany. He will be able to visit Germany,” Merz said.

Netanyahu’s office had said Merz had invited the Israeli prime minister “to make an official visit to Germany, in overt defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the Prime Minister a war criminal”.

In a statement on Monday made available by the Office of the Israel Prime Minister indicated that; “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a warm conversation with Friedrich Merz, who following his victory in the German elections, has become Chancellor-designate, and congratulated him on his victory.

Chancellor-designate Merz thanked the Prime Minister for the conversation and said that he would invite him to make an official visit to Germany, in overt defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the Prime Minister a war criminal”.

It would be recalled that, in November 2024, the Hague-based ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant as well as Hamas commander Mohammed Deif on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Both Israel and Hamas say Deif was killed in July in an Israeli air strike and Deif has not been seen in public ever since.

AFP international News Agency also reported that the German conservative election winner Friedrich Merz said Monday that he would seek good ties with the United States under President Donald Trump but was also ready for “the worst-case scenario.”

“I hope that we can convince the Americans that it is in our mutual interest to maintain good transatlantic relations,” Merz said at a press conference, a day after his CDU/CSU alliance came first in national elections.

“But as always, you have to deal with the worst-case scenario,” he said, warning that “all the signals we are receiving from the United States indicate that interest in Europe is decreasing”.

Merz also said he had a “lengthy” call with Emmanuel Macron late Sunday, as the French president headed to Washington to meet with Trump.

“We discussed the topics he wants to address with the American president, and I found that there was complete agreement between what he wants to say and what I want to say” on transatlantic ties, Merz said.

International relations between US and the European countries apparently began to strain when President Donald Trump brushed aside European allies when he declared his readiness to resume diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to hold talks without the involvement of European nations or Ukraine.

President Donald Trump thereafter was apparently seen to have repeated Russian talking points about Ukraine’s supposed responsibility in starting the war, raising concern in Europe that Donald Trump would agree to Moscow’s terms.

AFP also reported that the US Vice President, JD Vance also caused shock in Europe this month when he used a speech at a security forum in Munich to criticise the EU on issues ranging from immigration to free speech.

Earlier, we reported that Friedrich Merz, the newly elected incoming Germany chancellor has said that he’s aim is to achieve Europe independence from the United States, saying, the current US President, Donald Trump care less about the security of European countries and promised to work with the prime ministers and leaders of other European countries to set up alternative Europe Defence alliance treaty organisation by June 2025 when the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, NATO will be held, adding, Ukraine will be put in a position of strength.

Osazuwa Akonedo

Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media professional, author, and consultant. His work spans various sectors of communication and literature: Journalism and Media: He is the founder of OsazuwaAkonedo, which focuses on news analysis and commentary. He also provides consultancy services in media and banking. Literature: He is a published playwright and author of Nigerian literature. One of his notable works is the drama titled The End Shall Tell: What Exam Malpractice Can Cause, which addresses educational and social issues in Nigeria. Reporting: He frequently reports on regional news, particularly concerning Edo State and broader Nigerian current affairs. Credit: Google Gemini AI Mode Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media creator, journalist, and entrepreneur who engages audiences via news reporting, social media content, music, and a mobile application. Professional Background and Company Osazuwa Akonedo is associated with OSAZUWAAKONEDO LIMITED, a company registered in Nigeria that operates in media consultancy and news services  The company is headquartered in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and has been active in publishing news in various formats including text, audio, video, and photos  Social Media and Online Platforms Osazuwa Akonedo maintains a strong online presence on several platforms: TikTok: Shares news updates and reports, for example, covering police operations in Nigeria  YouTube: Operates a channel where he uploads videos on current affairs and news content  Twitter/X: Active under the handle @akonedo_osazuwa, posting updates on events and news  Facebook: Profiles listing his connection to news and media activities can be found on Facebook  Mobile App: Offers a dedicated mobile application for news access through Google Play (Osazuwa Akonedo News App) providing text, video, and photo news formats  News Reporting and Content He produces news content covering national and local stories, including criminal activities, government updates, and investigative reports   His reporting spans multiple formats, making it accessible to a wide audience through online platforms, mobile apps, and social media  Other Contributions In addition to journalism, Osazuwa Akonedo has also ventured into audio releases, such as “Former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami Begs Nigerians For Justice” released on January 25, 2026   He also hosts podcasts documenting significant events, e.g, NDLEA arrests related to historical criminal cases  Summary Osazuwa Akonedo is a multifaceted media professional engaged in journalism, social media content creation, music, and technology via his news app. He utilizes platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, and mobile applications to disseminate news and reach audiences both locally and internationally Credit: Azure AI

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