Keir Starmer will have hell to pay if UK helps arrest Netanyahu on ICC war crimes warrant, warns top Trump ally
SIR Keir Starmer will have “hell to pay” if he helps arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, a leading Trump ally tells The Sun.
The International Criminal Court issued a war crimes warrant for the Israeli leader last week with the PM suggesting he could be nicked if he came to London.
But now a powerful Washington figure and friend of the President-Elect warns doing so would see Britain cut out by the new White House.
Dr Kevin Roberts, the boss of the influential Heritage Foundation, hit out: “there will be hell to pay for any international leader buying into this bulls**t”.
The Washington-based think tank has close ties to the incoming Trump administration and is helping shape policy.
Last week the ICC was branded a “kangaroo court” last week after it accused Israel of breaking international law and war crimes.
Chief Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan ruled that Mr Netanyahu should be locked up if he travels to any country, such as the UK, party to the foreign court’s jurisdiction.
Mr Netanyahu hit back to brand the ICC a “biased and discriminatory political body” as he raged at the ruling.
But No10 declared Sir Keir “respects the independence of the ICC”.
Downing Street said it will now be up to domestic courts to make a final determination on whether Britain formally endorses the decision.
But no timeline was given as to how long the domestic legal process would take.
And No10 also refused to say that Israel’s PM would be “welcome” in the UK and wouldn’t clarify whether Mr Netanyahu would be arrested by officers if he travelled to London tomorrow.
The UK is a signatory of the ICC and Attorney General Richard Hermer has on multiple occasions vowed to respect the rulings of its controversial judges.
A No10 spokesman said: “The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law.”
But today France refused to say they would nick Netanyahu
Foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot did not give a direct answer but said there were “questions of immunity for certain leaders.”
“It is ultimately up to the judicial authorities to decide,” he added.
Other senior Trump allies have also reacted with fury to the ICC judgement, following President Biden branding it “outrageous”.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham yesterday threatened to introduce a Bill punishing states that follow ICC diktats.
The Senator said: “I will be introducing legislation that puts other countries on notice – If you aid and abet the ICC after their action against the State of Israel, you can expect consequences from the United States.
“Any nation that joins with the ICC after this outrage is a partner in a reckless act that tramples the rule of law.”
Incoming Senate Republican Leader John Thune pledged to bring a Bill to Capitol Hill sanctioning the ICC.
He said: “The ICC’s arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Gallant is outrageous, unlawful, and dangerous.”