ICC arrest warrant request for Israeli leaders 'deeply unhelpful' development, says UK premier

The British prime minister on Wednesday said the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor's arrest warrant requests for Israel's prime minister and defense minister is a "deeply unhelpful" development.

"There is no moral equivalence between a democratically elected government exercising its lawful right to self-defense and the actions of a terrorist group," Rishi Sunak said at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons.

His remarks came in response to a question whether he will comply and ensure that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant are arrested if they enter the UK, in case the ICC issues arrest warrants.

Labour Party MP Zarah Sultana said this house does not aid and abet Hamas but it does aid and abet Israel through arms sales like components for Israeli F-35 fighter jets which are "raining down hell on Gaza."

"So will the prime minister uphold international law, drop the nonsense about the most robust licensing system in the world, and end arms sales to Israel, and if the ICC issues arrest warrants will he comply and ensure that these individuals are arrested if they enter the UK?" she asked.

In response, Sunak replied: "When it comes to the ICC, this is a deeply unhelpful development ... which of course is still subject to a final decision."

"The actions of the ICC do absolutely nothing to get a pause in the fighting, to get the hostages out or aid in," he added.

On Monday, Karim Khan, the ICC's prosecutor, applied for arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three leaders of the Palestinian group Hamas for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” committed in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

More than 35,600 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and nearly 79,900 others injured since last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ, which has ordered it to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.