Britain has announced that it will not challenge the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
In May, the ICC prosecutor sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, and three Hamas leaders on allegations of war crimes.
Documents released in June revealed that Britain, an ICC member, had requested to submit written observations on whether the ICC could exercise jurisdiction over Israeli nationals, considering that Palestine cannot exercise criminal jurisdiction over Israelis under the Oslo Accords.
Since then, Britain has elected a new Labour government, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson stated that the previous government did not submit its proposal before the 4 July election.
“On the ICC submission… I can confirm the government will not be pursuing [the proposal] in line with our long-standing position that this is a matter for the court to decide on,” the spokesperson told reporters.
Reports indicate that the US had been pressuring the UK to maintain the legal challenge, as the US is not an ICC member and relies on the UK to represent its interests within the court.
Palestine Applauds UK’s Withdrawal of Objection to ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry has welcomed the British government’s decision to withdraw its objection to the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
In a statement cited by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the ministry hailed the British decision as a “realization of justice.”
The ministry praised the UK’s stance on upholding human rights and international law, describing it as a human rights-first foreign policy. This position, they affirmed, will enhance cooperation between Palestine and the UK in the coming days.
Despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation for its continued offensive on Gaza following an attack on 7 October 2023. Nearly 39,200 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 90,400 injured, according to local health authorities.
Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, large parts of Gaza remain in ruins under a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered an immediate halt to its military operation in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the conflict before it was invaded on May 6.