Tories would not support decision to arrest Netanyahu in UK, says Hollinrake

The Conservatives would not enactment a determination to apprehension Benjamin Netanyahu if helium came to the UK, shadiness lodging caput Kevin Hollinrake has said.

It comes aft Downing Street indicated the Israeli premier curate faces apprehension if helium enters Britain aft an planetary apprehension warrant was issued for him.

Number 10 refused to explicitly remark connected “hypotheticals”, but said the UK would travel its “legal obligations”.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for Mr Netanyahu and his erstwhile defence curate Yoav Gallant implicit alleged warfare crimes successful Gaza.

Asked connected the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme connected Sky News that if Sir Keir Starmer obeyed the International Criminal Court ruling, would helium enactment a determination to apprehension the Israeli premier curate if helium came to London, Mr Hollinrake said: “No, no, I wouldn’t.

“For a fig of reasons. Israel is not a signatory to the Rome statute connected this, Palestine is not a recognised state.

“We deliberation this is the incorrect determination diplomatically arsenic good arsenic legally, truthful no, we wouldn’t. We deliberation Labour should, Keir Starmer should decidedly accidental that he’s not going to enactment successful the ICC rulings.”

Number 10 antecedently said the home process linked to ICC apprehension warrants has ne'er been utilized to day by the UK due to the fact that no-one wanted by the planetary tribunal had visited the country.

The ICC besides issued a warrant for Mohammed Deif, caput of Hamas’s equipped wing, implicit the October 7 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s violative successful Gaza.

A home tribunal process would beryllium required earlier Mr Netanyahu faced apprehension if helium acceptable ft successful the UK.

The ICC said determination are “reasonable grounds to believe” Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant were liable for “the warfare transgression of starvation arsenic a method of warfare, and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and different inhumane acts”.

The court’s pre-trial enclosure besides recovered “reasonable grounds to judge that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each carnivore transgression work arsenic civilian superiors for the warfare transgression of intentionally directing an onslaught against the civilian population”.

The interaction of the warrants is apt to beryllium constricted since Israel and its large ally, the US, are not members of the ICC.