The UK government is being urged to “unequivocally” back arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory. Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK, has urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the UK government to follow their proclaimed commitment to international justice. “In opposition, the Foreign Secretary said in government his party would comply with any arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, and we now need to see Mr. Lammy and the whole UK government unequivocally backing this vitally important move by the ICC,” said Deshmukh.

Deshmukh noted that the ICC’s measures highlight the importance of consistency in the United Kingdom’s approach to international law. “The UK’s standing as a genuine supporter of the rule of law requires consistency and even-handedness – if war crimes are wrong when carried out by Russian forces in unlawfully-occupied Ukraine, then they’re equally wrong when carried out by Israeli forces in unlawfully-occupied Palestinian territory,” noted the MP. “In compliance with their international legal obligations, the UK authorities should be prepared to make swift arrests if Benjamin Netanyahu or Yoav Gallant step foot on British soil,” the minister said. The Hague Court announced on Thursday that it had issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for war crimes committed in Palestinian territory, including Gaza. The warrants arrive as Israel’s genocidal offensive in Gaza recently entered its second year, with 44,000 Palestinians murdered, the majority of whom were women and children, and over 103,000 injured.