LONDON - British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has backed the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.
When asked about the issue, Sir Keir’s official spokesman said the Government respected the independence of the court.
He declined to say whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he arrived in the UK.
The 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.
“This Government has been clear that Israel has a right to defend itself in accordance with international law. There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy and Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terror groups.
“We remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza.”
Under the Conservatives, the British government had told the court it intended to challenge the plans for the arrest warrants.
However, weeks after coming to power, Sir Keir’s government reversed that position and said it would not object.
Downing Street also declined to say whether Mr Netanyahu would be welcome to visit Britain in the future.
Sir Keir’s spokesman said: “We never comment on future international visits but my position on the Prime Minister’s support for Israel in terms of its right to defend itself in accordance with international law is very clear.”
The spokesman repeatedly declined to “go into hypotheticals” about whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he arrived in the UK.
He added: “It’s not up to the Prime Minister to determine other world leaders’ travel schedules. He engages and will continue to engage with the prime minister of Israel in support of Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Pressed on what he meant by his comments about the court, the spokesman said: “It means that we respect the independence of the ICC. We respect the fact that the ICC is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern.”
The spokesman went on to say the Government’s “focus” remained an end to the violence in the Middle East, which has been ongoing for more than a year after the Oct 7 terror attacks by Hamas.
On being asked about the US describing the ICC as a “kangaroo court”, the spokesman replied: “We respect the independence of the ICC.”
Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, said his country would be obliged to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited.
Crosetto, whose country holds the G7 rotating presidency this year, told RAI television’s Porta a Porta programme said that if Netanyahu or Gallant “were to come to Italy, we would have to arrest them”.
It was not a political choice but Italy was bound as a member of the ICC to act on the court’s warrants, Crosetto said.
Ireland’s prime minister has said the ICC’s issuing of arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Dief is an “extremely significant step”.
“The court points to reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each bear criminal responsibility for crimes perpetrated in the war in Gaza,” Simon Harris said.
Mr Harris also pointed to the arrest warrant for Hamas commander Mohammed Dief, who Israel claims to have killed earlier this year.
The International Criminal Court’s most senior prosecutor has urged the body’s 124 members to act on arrest warrants issued against Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant.
The ICC has no power to enforce its warrants but technically, any country that has signed the Rome Statue would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu or Gallant.
Karim Khan in a statement, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, said in a statement:“I appeal to all States Parties to live up to their commitment to the Rome Statute by respecting and complying with these judicial orders.
He also called on countries that are not members of the ICC to work together towards “upholding international law”.
Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, has said his government will abide by all the regulations and rulings of the International Criminal Courts.
