Britain has been warned it could face US retaliation for helping to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Israel’s prime minister.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper reiterated that Britain “respects the independence” of the ICC after the dramatic action against Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The position raises the prospect that Mr Netanyahu could be arrested for war crimes if he ventures onto British soil – although ministers have desperately tried not to say this explicitly.
The issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli politicians over the Gaza conflict – at the same time that a Hamas leader has already been allegedly murdered – has outraged the court, creating moral equivalence between legitimate national leaders and terrorists.
And the response has been huge in the US, where Donald Trump will take power in less than two months.
The ICC has taken dramatic action against Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and his ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (right)
Asked whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to Britain, the Prime Minister’s spokesman (pictured) said: ‘We don’t go into hypotheticals.’
The issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli politicians over the Gaza conflict – at the same time that a Hamas leader has already been allegedly murdered – has angered the ICC, creating moral equivalence between legitimate national leaders and terrorists.
Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned last night that the US “would not let the world believe for a moment that this is a legitimate exercise of jurisdiction by the Court against Israel, because it means we could be next.”
Senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned last night that the US “would not let the world believe for a moment that this is a legitimate exercise of jurisdiction by the Court against Israel, because it means we could be next.”
‘I will introduce legislation that will put other countries on notice. If you support the ICC after their action against the State of Israel, you can expect consequences from the United States,” he said.
“Any country that joins the ICC in the wake of this outrage is a partner in a reckless act that violates the rule of law.”
In a round of interviews this morning, Ms Cooper insisted the ICC orders were “not a matter for me as Home Secretary”.
She stressed that Britain “respects the independence of the ICC”, but added: “In most cases they pursue they do not become part of the UK legal or government processes.
‘In those cases where this is the case, there are important processes that need to be followed.
“It would therefore not be appropriate for me as Home Secretary to comment on individual cases in a speculative manner.”
The court’s decision makes Mr Netanyahu and the others internationally wanted suspects, putting them at risk of arrest if they travel abroad. But its implications could be limited because Israel, and close ally the US, are not members of the court.
Netanyahu said Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions.”
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’s armed wing, over the October 7, 2023 terror attacks that sparked Israel’s offensive in Gaza. Israel is believed to have killed Deif in an airstrike.
Downing Street said: ‘There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terrorist organisations. We remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire.”
Asked whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to Britain, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “We don’t deal with mortgages.”
It is understood the government’s position has not changed since Attorney General Richard Hermer said last month it would comply with its legal obligations under the ICC.
The Council of Deputies of British Jews said in a statement that the court “minimised the way Hamas fights – deliberately from within civilian infrastructure and brutal use of Palestinian civilians as human shields.”
“Democratic governments and people around the world should consider how they would have responded to the October 7 attack on their country that involved mass killings, rapes and hostage-taking.
“We must all focus on defeating the Hamas terrorists, freeing the hostages, ensuring that civilians in Gaza receive all necessary assistance and working toward lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians. The ICC decision is counterproductive in all these respects.”
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick urged the government not to ‘implement this farcical arrest warrant from a politicized court, which is itself embroiled in scandal’.
He tweeted: ‘The ICC has no credibility because it turns a blind eye to the crimes of tyrants like Putin. It is absurd to equate Israel’s war of self-defense with Hamas’ terrorism. This decision will only fuel the growing perception that the ICC is a kangaroo court.”
Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said the issuance of arrest warrants for Israel’s “democratically elected leader and former Israeli defense minister is deeply concerning and provocative.”
Netanyahu said Israel ‘rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions’
‘The ICC draws a moral equivalence with the actions of the terrorist leadership of Hamas.
‘The conservative government did not believe that the ICC has jurisdiction in this area because Israel has not signed the Rome Statute and because Palestine is not recognized as a state. The Labor government must condemn and challenge the ICC’s decision.”
Former British Army officer Colonel Richard Kemp said Donald Trump would “not take kindly” to countries that support the move.
“The Labor government is doing Britain no favors by supporting the court’s decision, which is contrary to British and American interests,” he said.