UK to drop ICC challenge over Netanyahu arrest warrant

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In May, the ICC's prosecutor said he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes. /Andrew Harnik/Getty Images via AFP

The UK said it would not proceed with efforts to question whether the International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

In May, the ICC's prosecutor said he had requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes.

Court documents made public in June showed the UK, an ICC member state, had filed a request with the court to provide written observations on whether "the court can exercise jurisdiction over Israeli nationals, in circumstances where Palestine cannot exercise criminal jurisdiction over Israeli nationals (under) the Oslo Accords."

Since then, the UK has elected a new government run by the Labour Party, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said the previous government had not submitted its proposal before the July 4 election.

"On the ICC submission... I can confirm the government will not be pursuing (the proposal) in line with our long-standing position that this is a matter for the court to decide on," the spokesperson told reporters.