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| There Are ‘No Decisions To Be Made’: Merz' Chief Of Staff Frei Does Not Rule Out Netanyahu's Arrest In Germany (translated) | |
| 2025-06-02 | |
The topic of Israel is causing conflict within the CDU/CSU: Following the anti-Israel speeches by Friedrich Merz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul this week, there has been internal party criticism of the statements made by the Chancellor and Foreign Minister. A dispute that even Thorsten Frei, a close confidant of Merz and well-connected, apparently cannot resolve: In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the CDU's head of the Chancellery also failed to take a clear position on the question of the CDU's position on Israel and its war against the terrorist group Hamas. The 51-year-old repeatedly evaded the question of whether Germany would defy the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and whether he would still be welcome in Germany. Frei initially only said: "The elected Prime Minister of Israel is, of course, always a dialogue partner of the German Federal Government" – no clear commitment. When the journalist asked him whether this would not answer the question, Frei simply replied with a postponement: "There is currently no visit to Israel planned; nor vice versa. Therefore, no decisions need to be made," Frei said. The decision is certainly relevant now – especially because the coalition partner SPD is increasingly using harsher language against Israel and Merz, with his accusation that the Israeli army is breaking international law in the Gaza Strip, has at least caused decades of support for Israel and raison d'état to crumble ( Apollo News reported), if not even a historic low point in German-Israeli relations. Frei also evades the commitment to Israel in the following questions: "In principle, Germany still respects the independence of the International Criminal Court and its procedural processes, as well as those of all other international courts," is the CDU politician's next response to the question of whether relations with Israel would ultimately take precedence over international law. Frei's answer, decoded, is: We will listen to the International Criminal Court's ruling, but since Netanyahu isn't visiting Germany, we don't even have to ask ourselves whether he will actually be arrested. That's not a convincing expression of solidarity. Related: Friedrich Merz 05/29/2025 The Blatant Lie of Germany's Elite Friedrich Merz 05/27/2025 Russia Produces More Drones and Missiles Than It Spends Friedrich Merz 05/27/2025 Ukraine says hit by record drone salvo after Trump rebukes Putin Related: Johann Wadephul 05/09/2025 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: May 8, 2025 Johann Wadephul 05/07/2025 A cook, a butcher and a lady who charmed a prince: who will get into the German government Johann Wadephul 06/07/2020 Merkel allies criticize Trump decision to cut US troops in Germany Related: Thorsten Frei 03/03/2025 Germany: Conservatives scrutinize state support for NGOs Thorsten Frei 02/27/2025 155 Afghan staff transferred from Pakistan to Germany, another group expected next month Thorsten Frei 11/11/2024 ‘Olaf is a Fool' – Berlin responds to Elon Musk's swipe at Chancellor Scholz amid government collapse | |
| Posted by:Elmerert Hupens2660 |
| #2 Merz actually did invite Netanyahu in February. That was before his election hiccup that showed he has no secure parliamentary majority. He needs the votes of the Greens and the East German Communists. At this point the Chancellor is objectively about as pro-Israel as the |
| Posted by: Elmerert Hupens2660 2025-06-02 17:08 |
| #1 I thought the German government pledged not to persecute Jews anymore. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2025-06-02 11:54 |