A Hebrew newspaper reported, on the evening of Wednesday, January 10, 2024, that there were “tensions” between Israel and Britain after the London police opened an investigation into Israel committing “war crimes” in the Gaza Strip.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said: “The British Metropolitan Police (MET POLICE) has opened an investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Israel.”

It also added: "This issue caused diplomatic tensions between Israel and Britain, which prompted Israel to protest and express its dissatisfaction with these matters."

London police investigation

According to the newspaper, “London Police have issued an appeal for witnesses passing through UK airports to report war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.”

Banners in English, Hebrew and Arabic were also hung at airports in the United Kingdom for existing passengers, reading: “If you are in Israel or the Palestinian territories and witness or are a victim of terrorism, war crimes, or crimes against humanity, you can report this to the British police,” according to the same source.

It also wrote: “UK police support the work of the ICC, which is investigating alleged war crimes in Israel and Palestine from June 2014, and any evidence collected can be shared with the ICC to support its investigations.”

In this context, Scotland Yard (the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Department), according to the newspaper, said that the British police have a “responsibility to support” the International Criminal Court, in addition to the fact that “larger numbers of British citizens have returned to the United Kingdom since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas.” "It expects a greater number of potential witnesses and victims of war crimes to come from the region."

Occupation protest

In this context, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Israel "protested to the British authorities regarding the investigation."

The Israeli embassy in London also made it clear to the British authorities that “there is no basis, justification or authority to conduct an investigation against the State of Israel at the International Criminal Court.”

For his part, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the investigation opened by the London Metropolitan Police, and told the Telegraph newspaper: “I am concerned about the disturbing politicization of the Metropolitan Police, especially after its officers were filmed tearing down posters of pictures of kidnapped Israelis,” in the Gaza Strip.

The Telegraph also reported that the investigation “raises serious concerns among British Jews and threatens to cause a political rift with the State of Israel.”

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on Gaza that, as of Wednesday, has left 23,357 dead and 59,410 injured, most of them children and women, and “massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” according to the Gaza Strip authorities and the United Nations.