There’s a huge story involving Israel and Germany and it’s a little unnerving. The two countries seemingly have a lot of tension between them.
It all started when Israel’s Ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, made a passionate appeal on X, which used to be known as Twitter. He urged the German government to reject the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) legitimacy. This happened just before the German Chancellor’s spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, made a statement about whether Germany would follow through with an ICC arrest order against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for alleged war crimes. Hebestreit said, “Of course. Yes, we abide by the law.”
German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit was just asked in Berlin whether ICC arrest warrants would be implemented. His answer: “Of course. Yes, we abide by the law” @POLITICOEurope
— Peter Wilke (@peterjwilke) May 22, 2024
Prosor’s post was quite strong as you could imagine. He wrote in both German and English, calling the situation “outrageous.” He mentioned that Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security, known as “Staatsräson,” was being tested. This term refers to Germany’s promise to ensure Israel’s safety as part of its own national security interests. Prosor criticized the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor for comparing Israel’s democratic government to Hamas, saying this demonized and delegitimized Israel and the Jewish people.
The ambassador continued, “ The Chief Prosecutor [of the ICC] equates a democratic government with Hamas, thereby demonizing and delegitimizing Israel and the Jewish people. He has completely lost his moral compass. Germany has a responsibility to readjust this compass. 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
The International Criminal Court was created in response to the atrocities of Nazi Germany, which killed six million Jews during World War II. Germany is a major supporter of the ICC. The idea that Germany might arrest and deport Israeli leaders has caused a lot of shock in the media and among the public, considering Germany’s history during the Hitler era.
On the same day, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry said that the ICC’s arrest warrant against both Hamas leaders and Israeli officials gave a false impression of equivalence. This means it seemed like they were treating both sides as equally guilty.
Meanwhile, a never before seen video was released with the permission of Israeli families. Be advised the video is a tough one to watch.
“Here are the girls who can get pregnant” – Hamas footage shows moment they took 5 young Israeli women as hostages on October 7. Beaten, scared and dragged to Gaza. Here is the video: pic.twitter.com/7zWOlTIaPt
— Jotam Confino (@mrconfino) May 22, 2024
