Keir Starmer will continue to speak to Benjamin Netanyahu despite the UK “fulfilling its obligations” over the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant decision, Downing Street has insisted.
In a briefing to journalists, a No. 10 spokesperson insisted:”Israel is a key partner across a range of areas, whether it’s on trade and investment, security, science and technology. The Prime Minister has regularly engaged with the Israeli prime minister.
“Engagement, as I say, is important. We have a dialogue with Israel at all levels to reach a ceasefire that we all want to see to bring an end to the violence, protect civilians and ensure the release of hostages.
The Prime minister will continue to speak to the Prime Minister of Israel and the other allies in order to conduct the essential business …we’ll update on unusual engagement in the usual way.”
Asked why the incoming Labour government had withdrawn objections to the process being followed by the ICC, that had been raised by the previous government, Starmer’s spokesperson said:”We respect the court’s position as the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern.”
Keir Starmer meets Israeli president Isaac Herzog
Then asked why the PM of Israel would ever choose to visit the UK again, knowing an arrest warrant could be raised for him on arrival, the spokesperson said:”As I say, Israel is a key partner across range of range of UK priorities, whether it is trade and investment, security and science and technology, and we obviously need to have a dialogue with Israel all levels to reach the ceasefire that we want to seek, along with the release of the hostages.”
Asked whether Netanyahu would be detained if he entered the UK, the prime minister’s official spokesman refused to comment on “hypotheticals”.
However, he added: “The government would fulfil its obligations under the act and indeed its legal obligations.”
In answer to questions about how the domestic legal process would work if a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest was needed the No 10 spokesperson said the 2001 ICC Act “sets out the process for which ICC arrest warrants are then endorsed by a British court.”
But he added:”I’d also reiterate, this process has not been used to date in the UK, this Act has not been used to date.
“There’s a domestic legal process for how an ICC arrest warrant would be endorsed by Britainset out in the ICC act.
“Those decisions are then taken forward by an independent British court. But I don’t have any more to add on that process.”
A handout photo that the Prime Minister’s Office says shows Benjamin Netanyahu approving an airstrike on Beirut targeting Hezbollah’s main headquarters, September 27, 2024. (Prime Minister’s Office)
The ICC’s member countries, including the UK, have signed a treaty that obliges them to act on arrest warrants.
The PM’s spokesman confirmed the government stands by the process outlined in the act and would “always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law”.UK to enforce ICC Netanyahu arrest warrant if ratified by independent domestic court
Starmer has previously met with Israeli president Isaac Hertzog, but his conversations with Netanyahu have been over the telephone.
