MORE than a dozen Labour MPs have backed a parliamentary motion urging the Keir Starmer to drop the Tory legal challenge seeking to prevent the International Criminal Court (ICC) from issuing an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister.
In May, the ICC filed applications for the arrests of Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar with prosecutors saying they had “reasonable grounds to believe” that they had both engaged in alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Then prime minister Rishi Sunak denounced the warrants as “a deeply unhelpful development” and the Foreign Office later issued a legal challenge questioning whether the ICC had any jurisdiction over Israeli actions in Gaza.
At the time, David Lammy – who now serves as Foreign Secretary – claimed the UK and all other signatories of the Rome Statute had a “legal obligation” to comply with the ICC’s warrants.
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Yet since coming into government no action has been taken to drop the UK’s legal action amid reports that the US is pressuring Starmer not to drop the challenge.
Now, Labour MPs Richard Burgon and Imran Hussain had laid a parliamentary motion calling on the government to scrap the legal challenge.
It has already been signed by 17 Labour MPs with more names expected to be added in the coming days.
Burgon said: “The Tories spent some of their last days in Government seeking to undermine opposition to war crimes.
“This cynical Tory attempt to hinder the International Criminal Court’s work not only risks undermining accountability for war crimes in Gaza but also weakens the wider rule of law and international justice as a whole.
“The new Labour Government now has the opportunity to chart a new course, one that respects international law, by dropping this challenge.”
Since becoming Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on Netanyahu to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
However, the conflict continues with 22 Palestinians losing their lives following an Israeli airstrike on a UN-run school earlier this week, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Hussain added: “The previous Tory Government’s challenge to the work and independence of the International Criminal Court flies in the face of the UK’s duty to defend the global rule of law.
“Our new Government must now reaffirm its commitment to protecting the vital work of the ICC by withdrawing this challenge.
“That will send a strong signal that the UK will be a strong supporter of the ICC’s efforts to deliver justice for the victims of war crimes in Gaza.”
Earlier this year, the SNP’s attempts to force the Labour Party to vote on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza were foiled after Speaker Lindsay Hoyle broke with parliamentary convention and allowed Labour to hold a vote on their own amendment, which watered down the SNP’s motion.
Hoyle later apologised but refused to resign over the incident.
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