LONDON: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy was snubbed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Britain’s withdrawal of its objections to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, The Times reported on Tuesday.
Earlier this year, the ICC announced it was seeking the arrest of Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The UK, under the previous Conservative government, objected to the move, but this was overturned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new government.
Lammy met Netanyahu on his first visit to Israel last month, and the two were pictured shaking hands.
But in a sign of strained relations, Netanyahu refused to meet Lammy when he traveled to Jerusalem last week, The Times reported.
The UK’s new government has also stepped up investigations into British arms sales to Israel, with rumors that it could soon announce a major weapons embargo.
During Lammy’s visit last week, which took place alongside a similar trip by his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne, the UK Foreign Office reportedly requested a meeting between the British official and Netanyahu.
But Israel did not respond, and the British and French ministers instead met President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
The Israeli government is also said to be slighted at the UK’s decision to resume funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees earlier this year, following a controversial pause in payments to the agency.
A UK source told The Times that Netanyahu was “stung more by (Britain’s) ICC decision than anything else.”
In response to the strained relations, Starmer has sought to assure Netanyahu by sending Lord Hermer KC, the new attorney general, to Israel. He is expected to explain the UK’s decision to avoid blocking the ICC’s arrest warrants.
The Foreign Office said in a statement: “There were no plans to meet prime minister Netanyahu during this visit. This government is committed to upholding international law, we have made clear that we will not export items if they might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
“There is an ongoing review process to assess whether Israel is complying with international humanitarian law which the foreign secretary initiated on day one in office. We will provide an update as soon as that review process is completed.”
