Merz and Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Sunday evening, when the Israeli leader called Merz to congratulate him on his election victory.
Merz's party, the Christian Democratic CDU, confirmed the phone call but declined to comment on what they discussed. Hours later, Merz was asked during a press conference whether Netanyahu was welcome to visit Germany – despite being subject to an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
If he plans to visit Germany, I have promised myself that we will find a way to ensure that he can visit Germany and leave without being arrested, Merz replied.
The ICC's arrest warrant against Netanyahu means that countries that have signed the court's founding document, including Germany, are obligated to arrest him if he sets foot in any of them.
Netanyahu is accused, like the former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, of war crimes during the Gaza War.
