Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could face arrest if he visits Britain after Sir Keir Starmer gave his backing to the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant.
Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were yesterday named in arrest warrants issued by the Hague-based court over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Britain, as one of 124 ICC members, is obligated to enforce such warrants, with the Prime Minister's spokesman notably refusing to rule out Netanyahu's potential arrest.
The ICC's warrants stem from allegations that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes, including using starvation as a method of warfare, murder and persecution.
Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif was also named in the warrants, facing charges of crimes against humanity including murder, extermination and rape.
The court issued Deif's warrant despite reports of his death in a July airstrike in Gaza.
Addressing Starmer's position on the arrest warrants, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We respect the independence of the ICC, which is the primary institutional institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes in relation to international law."
The spokesman repeatedly declined to specify whether Netanyahu would be arrested if he visited the UK, instead stressing he "would not get into hypotheticals".
In a significant policy shift, Labour scrapped Conservative plans to formally oppose the arrest warrant shortly after taking power in July.
Attorney General Lord Hermer KC emphasised that Starmer's Government was "determined not to do anything that undermines the work of the ICC".
Foreign Secretary David Lammy last month also voiced his support for the ICC.
However, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel labelled the ICC's decision as "deeply concerning and provocative".
"This will do nothing to bring about the release of all hostages held and the bringing of much-needed aid into Gaza," the top Tory added.
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Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick argued: "The UK should not enforce this farcical arrest warrant from a politicised court that is itself mired in scandal."
"This latest decision will only fuel the growing perception the ICC is a kangaroo court," he added. "Equating Israel's war of self-defence with Hamas is absurd."
The United States, a non-ICC member and close Israeli ally, firmly rejected the court's decision, with President Joe Biden calling the arrest warrants "outrageous".
"Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas," Biden declared.
However, Netanyahu's office dismissed the charges as "false and absurd".
Italy and the Netherlands have pledged to arrest Netanyahu, while Canada voiced support for the court.
Any potential arrest could be circumvented through diplomatic immunity, as demonstrated when Vladimir Putin avoided detention in Mongolia despite an ICC warrant for alleged Ukrainian war crimes.
Whitehall sources indicate that if the Government decides to enforce the ICC's decision, a Cabinet Minister - likely the Home Secretary or Justice Secretary - would need to seek a UK arrest warrant through the courts.
No steps have yet been taken to obtain such a warrant, insiders have also stressed.
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Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were yesterday named in arrest warrants issued by the Hague-based court over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Britain, as one of 124 ICC members, is obligated to enforce such warrants, with the Prime Minister's spokesman notably refusing to rule out Netanyahu's potential arrest.
The ICC's warrants stem from allegations that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes, including using starvation as a method of warfare, murder and persecution.
Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif was also named in the warrants, facing charges of crimes against humanity including murder, extermination and rape.
The court issued Deif's warrant despite reports of his death in a July airstrike in Gaza.
Addressing Starmer's position on the arrest warrants, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We respect the independence of the ICC, which is the primary institutional institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes in relation to international law."
The spokesman repeatedly declined to specify whether Netanyahu would be arrested if he visited the UK, instead stressing he "would not get into hypotheticals".
In a significant policy shift, Labour scrapped Conservative plans to formally oppose the arrest warrant shortly after taking power in July.
Attorney General Lord Hermer KC emphasised that Starmer's Government was "determined not to do anything that undermines the work of the ICC".
Foreign Secretary David Lammy last month also voiced his support for the ICC.
However, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel labelled the ICC's decision as "deeply concerning and provocative".
"This will do nothing to bring about the release of all hostages held and the bringing of much-needed aid into Gaza," the top Tory added.
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Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick argued: "The UK should not enforce this farcical arrest warrant from a politicised court that is itself mired in scandal."
"This latest decision will only fuel the growing perception the ICC is a kangaroo court," he added. "Equating Israel's war of self-defence with Hamas is absurd."
The United States, a non-ICC member and close Israeli ally, firmly rejected the court's decision, with President Joe Biden calling the arrest warrants "outrageous".
"Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence - none - between Israel and Hamas," Biden declared.
However, Netanyahu's office dismissed the charges as "false and absurd".
Italy and the Netherlands have pledged to arrest Netanyahu, while Canada voiced support for the court.
Any potential arrest could be circumvented through diplomatic immunity, as demonstrated when Vladimir Putin avoided detention in Mongolia despite an ICC warrant for alleged Ukrainian war crimes.
Whitehall sources indicate that if the Government decides to enforce the ICC's decision, a Cabinet Minister - likely the Home Secretary or Justice Secretary - would need to seek a UK arrest warrant through the courts.
No steps have yet been taken to obtain such a warrant, insiders have also stressed.
Find Out More...