UK's Labour 'backtracks' on decision to drop objection to ICC arrest warrants

Britain will not withdraw its objection to the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor's application for arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, according to an Israeli news outlet.

The newspaper Maariv said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy had given assurances that the UK will maintain its objection to the application that was initially raised by the Conservative government in Downing Street.

Netanyahu and Gallant are accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan.

The Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, its military wing's commander-in-chief Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, better known as Mohammed Deif, and its political leader Ismail Haniyeh were also subject to arrest warrant applications.

The applications must be approved by a panel of ICC judges and it is at this stage that the UK has lodged its objection.

Read more: UK's Labour 'backtracks' on decision to drop objection to ICC arrest warrants