Britain’s new government announced that it would drop the previous government’s query about the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ICC’s chief prosecutor had requested warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as three leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, for war crimes. This decision had angered Israel and strained its relationship with the United States, its closest ally.
The previous query by Britain, an ICC member state, was regarding whether the court could exercise jurisdiction over Israelis when Palestine could not prosecute Israeli nationals under the Oslo Accords. However, the new government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the Labour Party, decided to drop the query, stating that it is a matter for the court to decide on.
The new government emphasized its commitment to the rule of law and the separation of powers, with Starmer expressing respect for international law. This marks a departure from the previous government’s stance against supranational jurisdictions, as Starmer emphasized a cooperative approach with international institutions.
The ICC has been investigating both sides in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians since 2021. The court’s ruling that it had jurisdiction was based on Palestine’s status as a UN observer state. However, a decision on the interpretation of the Oslo Accords regarding Palestinian jurisdiction over Israeli nationals is still pending.
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