Netanyahu arrested by German Polizei?

Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for the German government, was crystal clear, responding to a question put to him at a press conference on May 22, 2024: “will the German government implement the ICC-International Criminal Court’s decision [to arrest Benyamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant and hand them over to the justice]? His answer – quote[i]: « (…) Grundsätzlich, sind wir Unterstützer des Internationales Strafgerichthofes und dabei bleibt es auch.“ And in English: „Fundamentally, we support the ICC and this will not change“.

To such a direct and cold response, as a freezing winter in Dachau, the journalist posing the question seeks clarification, adding that considering the circumstances, this question is not rhetorical. Hebestreit is curt: “Natürlich” [naturally], followed by « Wir halten uns ans Recht und Gesetz » [we will stick to the law] sounding like the clicking of heels.

For anyone skeptical as to the implications of this exchange, I suggest they listen to the rest of the press conference. They will ascertain that the responses to other subjects covered, are vague and equivocal. The sole unambiguity, is the handing over of Israeli officials.

A similar question posed a few minutes later, could have saved the day for the German representatives: “Netanyahu OK, but what about Bachar El Assad who had one million Syrians killed?”[ii] The answer would be comic, if not so tragic: “We follow Civil rights in Syria every day. Be assured that we are on the side of the people”. In the language of diplomacy this means: “unfortunately, my dear Sir, this subject is hardly of concern to us. The perpetrator is not Jewish, so we are not bothered”.

A few days later, two thousand miles from Berlin, there is a pleasant evening breeze in a Jerusalem suburb. Despite tensions from the ongoing war, soldiers on the front, Israeli hostages languishing in Hamas tunnels in Gaza, confirmations of the death of other hostages, we survivors, are surviving. We make the most of it. A friend of mine suggests: “Let Bibi go to Germany and get arrested. I would like to see Germans handcuffing him and handing him over to Justice. I would love to see him defend Israel in Court where the whole world will have no choice but to hear our side of events. He will do what he does best, the People of Israel and the Jews will support him massively and he will leave the political scene with respect”.

Odd at first glance, this idea is in fact excellent. It would force Germany to be consistent with its words. Like Nazis defending themselves stating that “they just followed orders”. Abandoning their duty as human beings, Germany abandons its “Staatsräson”, this “Reason of State” established by Angela Merkel in 2008 and again by Olaf Sholz in October 2023. The concept, never been fully tested in post-war Germany, was meant to demonstrate that it had survived only to protect Israel. More than a reason of state, it was more a raison d’être. But, similar to Israel-US relations, which are daily described as “ironclad with no daylight”, these words often mean the opposite to what they sound. Although Israel-US disagreements are numerous and often vocal, Germany is eager to sacrifice its raison d’être on the altar of the ICC.

Germany seems to succumb to the sounds of the “Pied Piper of Hamelin”[iii] aka “the anti-Israel activists” who have been flourishing throughout Western democracies these last months. Germany drags its feet, yes, but only because it is stuck in the Auschwitz mud while eager to pursue anti-Israel world trends. Will this attitude cause its decay, or will this decay be caused by the strongest West-European demographic decline[iv]? Or maybe the cause will be the fact that one if five Germans plans to vote AFD- Alternative für Deutschland, the right-wing populist political party founded in 2013? Or maybe the unsuccessful assimilation of its immigrant population? Probably all these, and more, will be the cause for German decline. But, it is safe to say that its inability to place ethics “über alles” , as “a main priority” as a supreme value, will be the most relevant factor. Paying respect to International Law while disregarding ethical considerations, leads to the loss of moral compass. And this precedes the end of German civilization, as intended by the Allies, after Nazism: the most barbaric and murderous nation of the twentieth century, has swung to the opposite extreme of pacifism and appeasement, might eventually become insignificant.

Netanyahu, if arrested by Germans, will know how to use the symbolic value of such an historic disgrace. He is the best man to prove the absurdity of the international community’s accusations against Israel. He will demonstrate the same courage as an IDF soldier, sacrificing himself for the security of the Jewish People.

This will also be an opportunity for him to leave Israeli politics in honor, paving the way for new leaders of Israel, to embark on a different path in viewing Israel’s position in the Middle East and among

[i] See the video of the 22th May, 2024 à 37:00 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2W0Jiwb8hs&list=PLuQE_zb4awhV8JxSNeJzUnHskCx0eyjVj&index=2

[ii] Ibid. at 45:00

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_Piper_of_Hamelin

[iv] https://www.ined.fr/fr/tout-savoir-population/chiffres/tous-les-pays-du-monde/?lst_continent=908&lst_pays=926