In light of the International Criminal Court (ICC) applying for arrest warrants to be issued against Hamas leaders, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his defence minister, I have signed a joint letter from Richard Burgon MP and Imran Hussain MP calling for the Government to do all it can to support the Court. 

The ICC was established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. The ICC has the mandate to investigate and prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Signed by a cross-party group of over 100 Parliamentarians, the letter comes after the Office of the ICC Chief Prosecutor issued a statement calling for “all attempts to impede, intimidate or improperly influence its officials cease immediately.”

The Government must take a clear stance against any attempts to intimidate an independent and impartial international court. That’s because not only could such actions be a crime under Article 70 of the Rome Statute, but they would be a blatant attempt to prevent accountability and to impede justice.

The Court must be free to pursue justice without intimidation, fear or favour. The Government must work to ensure this.