UK Foreign Minister David Lammy has said that Britain will follow “due process” if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the country. This statement came after reporters asked whether the UK would uphold the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against Netanyahu.
As Lammy shared this in a G7 meeting in Italy, he made it clear that Britain, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, would honour its commitment to international law and humanitarian standards. “We are signatories to the Rome Statute, we have always been committed to our obligations under international law and international humanitarian law,” Lammy said, giving the diplomatic answer that could soothe tensions but may not provide any clarity.
Don’t get your hopes high. Lammy’s statement is more of a “watch and wait” scenario. “If there were to be such a visit to the UK, there would be a court process and due process would be followed in relation to those issues.” In other words, Britain would play the waiting game, letting the court decide what happens next.
So, despite all the talk about following due process and international law, we can’t help but wonder if this will actually result in any meaningful action. Will Netanyahu actually face arrest, or will the whole thing just fizzle out like so many other international warrants?
