Foreign Office must not U-turn: The UK needs to drop its objection to ICC arrest warrants
London, 15th July 2024- Reports have emerged saying that the UK government is considering u-turning on its decision to drop its objections to International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for potential Israeli war criminals. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) is disappointed in the UK government’s rumoured decision to shy away from taking a lead on equal application of international law without fear or favour.
On the 28th June 2024, it emerged that the UK government planned to intervene in the ICC’s application for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. This move would have delayed a decision over whether arrest warrants could be issued.
Last week, reports emerged in The Guardian stating that the new Labour government were considering dropping plans to intervene. However, following Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s trip to Israel and Palestine, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s trip to the United States, news emerged today that the government are now rumoured to be u-turning on this decision.
Media outlets are reporting that an intelligence official in the US claimed that the US is lobbying the new UK government not to drop their legal challenge.
The development comes only days after ICJP wrote to the Foreign Secretary highlighting key foreign policy priorities for the new Labour government, including full support of the ICC. British foreign policy must uphold international law and remain free from US influence. Rather, British foreign policy should be set by the elected representatives who represent their respective offices.
Similarly, the ICC should be free from influence from foreign states, including the UK. The UK strongly supported the ICC in the past and it should support the ICC as an international institution, without seeking to delegitimise it, if it supports an international rules-based order.
ICJP Senior Public Affairs Officer Jonathan Purcell said:
“The government is dropping their plans to drop their plans. Not only does this dawdling and indecisiveness undermine their position, but it shows a total lack of urgency whilst Palestinians are being killed in the meantime.
If Labour want to be taken seriously as a party of change, we need to see it to believe it. The Prime Minister calls himself a human rights lawyer, but a major U-turn such as this would show that actions speak louder than words.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- For more information, for a full copy of the letter to FCDO, or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at [email protected].