UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed support for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ICC has also issued warrants for Netanyahu’s former defense minister Yoav Gallant and a Hamas leader, accusing them of war crimes.
As a member state of the ICC, the UK is now obligated under international law to detain Netanyahu should he enter British territory. A Downing Street spokesperson affirmed the Government’s respect for the ICC’s independence, refusing to rule out Netanyahu’s arrest if he visits the UK. “We respect the independence of the ICC,” the spokesperson stated, though they clarified there is no “moral equivalence” between Israel’s democratically elected leadership and Hamas.
The warrants accuse Netanyahu and Gallant of using food as a weapon in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza, a claim strongly denied by Israeli officials. Experts report widespread hunger across Gaza, with famine-like conditions in the north due to an ongoing siege by Israeli troops. Local health authorities state the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 44,000, with more than half of the casualties being women and children.
Netanyahu has dismissed the ICC’s actions, labeling them as “absurd and false.” In a statement, he asserted, “There is nothing more just than the war that Israel has been waging in Gaza.” The warrants, however, now make Netanyahu and others internationally wanted suspects, potentially isolating them further on the global stage and complicating ceasefire negotiations.
The ICC warrants would require ratification by UK courts before becoming enforceable, adding a layer of legal procedure. Meanwhile, the UK government has emphasized its focus on achieving an immediate ceasefire to halt the violence in Gaza. When questioned about complying with the arrest warrant, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said, “We are not going to get into hypotheticals.”