Germany has suggested that it will not arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he travels to the country, due to its Nazi history.

Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, was on Thursday made the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, a move he has described as anti-Semitic.

A number of European countries, including the UK, have said they will respect the ICC’s decision.

However, a spokesman for Olaf Scholz, German chancellor, suggested the country would not carry out such an arrest due to its history and unique relationship with Israel.

“I find it hard to imagine that arrests could be carried out in Germany on this basis,” said Steffen Hebestreit, a government spokesman.