LONDON

Downing Street on Friday signaled the UK would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country, as the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant against him a day earlier.

Asked if Netanyahu would be detained upon arriving in Britain, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer avoided specifics but reiterated the UK’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, according to British media.

"I’m not going to get ahead of the process or provide commentary on individual cases," the spokesperson said.

However, he added: "The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law."

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also addressed the issue during media appearances.

On Sky News, she refused to speculate, saying: "That’s not a matter for me as home secretary. What I can say is that obviously the UK government’s position remains that we believe the focus should be on getting a ceasefire in Gaza."

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Cooper emphasized the independence of the ICC and its distinct role from that of the UK government.

"The international criminal court is obviously independent. We respect the court, its independence, and we are clear of its role, which is different from the UK government’s role," she said.

She explained that most ICC cases do not involve UK law enforcement but acknowledged that, in the event they do, a rigorous legal and governmental process would be required.

"You would not expect me to, and I can’t, as home secretary, comment on how those legal processes would be implemented in any individual case. That would be speculative because I have to respect that legal process," she said.

The ICC announced the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday "for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024" in the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s genocidal offensive in Gaza continues since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and have killed more than 44,000 people, mostly women and children.

The onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the enclave, and a deliberate blockade has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, pushing the population to the brink of starvation.