Netanyahu Declines Meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Amid Tensions Over ICC Arrest Warrants
The Palestinian issue was again in focus after Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu declined a meeting request with the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, on Saturday. The snub emerges at a time when the UK Labour Party has withdrawn its objections on the ICC’s warrant arrests of Netanyahu or the war criminal Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant.
The British government made several attempts to arrange a meeting with Netanyahu, all of which were declined by the Israelis, who caused the UK government’s logistical difficulties.
This Analyse’s news from the Israeli Channel 13 that Lammy’s visit trip was primarily aimed at persuading London to stand by Israel against the backdrop of a probable retaliatory attack by Hezbollah or Iran.
This diplomatic tension comes after Labour leader Keir Starmer last month unwound some of the previous Conservative government’s actions to hinder the ICC from issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over what the ICC regards as possible war crimes in Gaza.
At the moment, the ICC is considering whether it has the jurisdiction to deliver such arrest warrants, a situation that is extraordinary beyond any conceivable measure and legally inconceivable.
According to Haaretz sources privy on the development of the war crimes investigation, there is currently diplomatic pressure on the ICC to defer the issuance of warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. Still, those officials are not sure of the success of such measures to affect the outcome of the court’s decision.
The Palestinian issue was back in the spotlight when Israel’s premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, turned down a request for a meeting with his UK counterpart, David Lammy, on Saturday. The snub comes at a time when the UK Labour Party has withdrawn its objections on the ICC’s warrant arrests of Netanyahu or the war criminal Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant.
The British government tried several times to arrange a meeting with Netanyahu. Still, the Israelis always turned it down, citing ‘operational factors’ to the UK government as to why a meeting could not be arranged.
Such as the news from the Israeli Channel 13 that Lammy’s visit trip was mainly to pressure London into supporting Israel in the event of a probable retaliatory attack by Hezbollah or Iran.
This diplomatic tension follows Labour leader Keir Starmer’s move last month to roll back some of the measures taken by the previous Conservative government that sought to prevent the ICC from issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant over what the ICC considers possible war crimes in Gaza.
Right now, the ICC is deciding whether or not it has the right to issue such arrest warrants, a circumstance that is unimaginable in terms of measure and legally speaking, thoroughly unthinkable.
From human information gathered from Haaretz sources who are well informed on the progression of the war crimes probe, there is present external pressure on the ICC to wait on warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. Yet those officials are not certain that measures of that kind have the propensity to alter the court’s final verdict.
