Sir Keir Starmer is expected to drop Britain’s objection to an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, it was reported last night.
The Prime Minister will reportedly abandon the Government’s legal challenge to the the International Criminal Court’s case against the Israel’s premier.
It would in effect endorse the ICC’s decision to pursue Mr Netanyahu and his defence minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders, for war crimes in Gaza, where around 39,000 people have died.
Under former PM Rishi Sunak, the UK issued a legal challenge questioning the ICC’s jurisdiction over Israeli citizens.
But a Downing Street spokesman confirmed that the Labour government was ‘looking’ at the previous Tory administration’s stance after The New York Times reported that Britain would drop its objections to the prosecution by the end of the week.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to drop Britain’s objection to an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu by the end of the week
It would in effect endorse the ICC’s decision to pursue Mr Netanyahu (seen in Washington yesterday) and his defence minister Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders, for war crimes in Gaza
Following advice from Attorney General Lord Hermer KC, Sir Keir is expected to let the filing deadline for arguments pass tomorrow without issuing any challenge to the case, The Times reports.
Hermer — who worked with Sir Keir as a barristers at Doughty Street Chambers — was one of several Jewish lawyers who signed an open letter to the Financial Times calling on Israel to comply with humanitarian law after the October 7 massacre.
A spokesman for the Jewish Leadership Council criticised Labour’s move and said Israel was a ‘key ally’ of Britain.
Labour has taken a tougher stance on Israel since winning a landslide election victory, despite losing four seats to pro-Palestinian activists.
David Lammy has restored funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency amid claims that workers participated in the October 7 attacks, which killed 1,200 people.
And the Foreign Secretary is rumoured to be publishing legal advice on halting some arms to Israel as early as next week.
Mr Netanyahu was in Washington last night meeting Joe Biden in an effort to close the remaining ‘gaps’ in the push for a ceasefire deal, the White House said.
