JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz told Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu that he would invite him to Germany in defiance of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Israeli prime minister's office said on Monday.

German conservative leader and election winner Friedrich Merz intends to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an official visit to Germany, despite an outstanding international warrant for his arrest,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not allow Syria’s new army or the insurgent group that led the ouster of former President Bashar Assad to “enter the area south of Damascus”

In an address Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Syria’s new rulers should demilitarize the Quneitra, Daraa and Suwayda provinces.

Israel's PM said it would not allow the forces of HTS or the new Syrian army "enter the area south of Damascus".