EDM 14: International Criminal Court, Gaza and the Rule of Law

That this House rejects attempts by the previous Government to undermine the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) right to seek an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes, following the decision by the ICC Chief Prosecutor to issue applications for arrest warrants for a number of Israeli and Hamas leaders in May 2024; opposes the decision by the previous Government to challenge the ICC's jurisdiction over Israeli actions in Gaza; notes that the ICC has a well-established jurisdiction over Israeli actions in Palestine; believes that the UK, as an ICC member committed to a rules-based international order, should protect the Court’s independence and reject any efforts to impede or interfere with its work, or to intimidate or retaliate against its officials; further believes that attempts to hinder the ICC’s work not only risk undermining accountability for war crimes in Gaza but also weaken the wider rule of law and international justice as a whole; calls on the UK Government to do all it can to support the International Criminal Court in its efforts to ensure accountability and justice for the victims of war crimes; and further calls on the UK Government to immediately drop the challenge made by the previous Government regarding arrest warrants and the ICC’s jurisdiction over Israeli actions in Gaza.