LONDON (Reuters) – British foreign minister David Lammy said on Wednesday he would continue to talk and meet with Benjamin Netanyahu after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Lammy told parliament’s foreign affairs select committee he would comply with the ICC’s request to arrest Netanyahu if he entered Britain, insisting he had no choice to ignore the order.
But Lammy said he would continue to talk to Netanyahu and other senior Israeli government officials about issues such as seeking a ceasefire in Gaza and the importance of getting aid into the Palestinian territory.
“I do believe they are important matters that require engagement from those of us in government,” Lammy said. “I can’t see circumstances under which I would not be speaking to the elected representatives of the Israeli government.”
Last week, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict.
Israel, which condemned the ICC decision as shameful and absurd, said it will contest them.
Lammy said that under British law he has an “obligation” to pass on the warrant request to a domestic court.
“That doesn’t allow me any discretion,” he said. “I will issue that, transmit that to the courts. Then the courts will make their determination.”
France said on Wednesday it believed Netanyahu had immunity to actions by the ICC, given Israel has not signed up to the court statutes.
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Kate Holton)
