Britain Drops Opposition to ICC Arrest Warrant for Israeli Prime Minister

Britain's new government has abandoned its predecessor's challenge to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) jurisdiction to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it is a matter for the court to decide.

The ICC's chief prosecutor has requested warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on suspicion of war crimes, as well as for three leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The move has angered Israel and caused tension with its closest ally, the United States.

The previous Conservative government had asked the ICC for observations on whether it could exercise jurisdiction over Israelis in circumstances where Palestine cannot exercise criminal jurisdiction over Israeli nationals under the Oslo Accords. However, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said the new government would drop the query, citing a "long-standing position that this is a matter for the court to decide on".

The spokesperson emphasized the government's commitment to the rule of law and separation of powers, marking a shift in tone from the previous administration. The ICC has been investigating both sides in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians since 2021, and ruled that it has jurisdiction after Palestinian authorities signed up to the court in 2015.

The decision to drop the opposition comes after Prime Minister Starmer told European leaders that his government would have a "profound respect for international law". The ICC's investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in the region continues, with a ruling on the interpretation of the Oslo Accords regarding Palestinian jurisdiction over Israeli nationals still to come.