Cabinet minister Wes Streeting said that “everyone has got to be held accountable under the law” as the new Government considers its stance on the International Criminal Court’s application for an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Health Secretary stressed that the new administration in the UK “believe very strongly in the rule of law”.
His comments came after Downing Street confirmed that ministers are “looking at” the previous Tory government’s objection to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) application for an arrest warrant against Israel’s Prime Minister.
No 10 did not confirm or deny reports that Sir Keir Starmer is expected to drop any legal challenge to the ICC’s pursuit of an arrest warrant against the Israeli premier for alleged war crimes against Palestinians by the end of the week.
Mr Streeting told Sky News: “We believe very strongly in the rule of law, that’s not just domestically but internationally, and the separation of powers between judges and politicians.
“Everyone has got to be held accountable under the law”
“The second thing I would say in terms of this devastating conflict in Gaza, we have been very clear, we need an immediate ceasefire, the return of all hostages and a serious process to deliver lasting peace for the Israelis and the Palestinians, the two-state solution is the only solution.”
Mr Netanyahu met US president Joe Biden in Washington on Thursday, as well as vice president Kamala Harris, as America piles pressure on him to end the Gaza war.
Earlier, a No10 spokeswoman reiterated the Government’s emphasis on the independence of the Hague-based war crimes court and its chief prosecutor.
She also said “we reject the overall characterisation” in a New York Times article noting the UK would be edging away from its close ally the US on the conflict were it to ditch an appeal contesting the court’s jurisdiction over Israeli citizens.
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The spokeswoman said: “We reject the overall characterisation in that piece. The Government has been clear about Israel’s right to self-defence and its right to respond to a terror attack in line with international humanitarian law.
“We’ve been in lockstep with the US on this matter and also in our efforts with the US and other allies in terms of promoting regional stability.”
The newspaper’s report is titled “UK’s Policy on Israel, Long Aligned With America’s, Veers Away”, after the ICC’s efforts to seek arrest warrants have been widely denounced in Washington.
The Downing Street spokeswoman continued: “On the ICC, we’ve also spoken consistently about the importance of the independence of both the prosecutor and the court. It is for the prosecutor and the court to make a decision.
“Now, with regard to the previous government’s proposals around a submission, we are looking at that but I don’t have any further updates.”
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan in May requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu and Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, over the latest conflict.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh, along with the group's military chief Mohammed Deif, are also wanted for arrest.
Rishi Sunak’s government had told the ICC it intended to submit arguments questioning whether the ICC had the right to order the arrests it was seeking.
The ICC has given the Labour Government until Friday to decide whether to pursue the legal bid.
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