DEPUTY Prime Minister Angela Rayner has refused to say if she believes Israel is breaking international law.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant in November.
Judges found there was “reason to believe” the Israeli politicians used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israel has called for the warrants to be withdrawn, claiming the ICC does not have jurisdiction.
It comes as local health officials reported that Israeli strikes have killed at least 14 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including a mother and her two children who were inside a tent.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Rayner was asked if because of the blockade on aid and the thousands killed in Gaza, did she believe Israel was breaking international law.
“Well that’s not for me to determine, but we’ve made our representations and concerns about what’s happening on the West Bank,” she said.
“We’ve been very clear about aid getting into Gaza and we’ve raised those concerns.
“It’s been pretty clear that Prime Minister has said aid has to get in, the language that has been used by some ministers is inflammatory at best, and that we’ve called that out and it’s not acceptable.”
“We have raised concerns, you’ll have heard what the Prime Minister has said, aid has to get into Gaza, the situation and the violence on the West Bank has to stop, and that we need to see a path to peace.
“We need to see a release of hostages, and we want to see a long-term solution where is the two states of Israel and Palestine living in peace together.
“That’s where the Prime Minister’s focus is.”
It comes after Keir Starmer signed a joint statement with Canadian leader Mark Carney, and French president Emmanual Macron calling out Israel for expanding its military operations in Gaza.
“The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable,” the joint statement said.
“[Monday’s] announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate.”
They also condemned the Israeli government’s “egregious” actions in Gaza, warning the UK and allies will take “concrete actions” unless it changes course.
Netanyahu responded by claiming the leaders “want Hamas to remain in power” and were on the “wrong side of justice”.
Earlier in the programme, Rayner said people should not question whether Israel is a true ally of the UK despite Netanyahu’s criticism.
“Keir Starmer has been very clear right from the start. October 7 was a massacre for Israel and for Jewish people there, and it was absolutely abhorrent.
“Hamas has no place in a functioning government, and we’re very clear on that.
“But you cannot block aid where we have a humanitarian catastrophe happening in Palestine, and it’s very clear, and that’s what Keir Starmer set out, that aid has to get into Gaza now and that Israel has to ensure that that happens.”
Elsewhere, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister’s recent statement condemning Israel was “not the right message” and risked emboldening Hamas.
“There are 58 hostages still not returned to Israel – we want a two-state solution but we cannot have a terrorist state running one of those,” she said.
“Israel still is at war and we need to make sure the war they are having, a proxy war with Iran, is not one that damages our national interest. Iran is not our ally.”
Asked if she was suggesting the Prime Minister should remain silent on the matter, Badenoch said: “You should do it in a way that does not have Hamas cheering – Hamas praised that statement. Sending a signal to Hamas like that does not send the right message – you should not have terrorist cheers.”
Asked if she would ever publicly criticise Israel, she said: “I have criticised – we’ve talked about when people need aid, get it – they responded to that.”
But she added: “Let’s not forget, two years ago hundreds of people at a music festival were butchered, massacred – we’re still waiting for 58 hostages. What we need to do is get a ceasefire.”
