SNP MP Stephen Flynn has called on the UK Government to uphold the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Labour had to be “dragged” into calling for a ceasefire.

The SNP Westminster leader's call came after Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer clarified that the UK Government will uphold arrest warrants but that “due process will be followed”.

The ICC’s ruling that there are reasonable grounds on which to arrest the Israeli leader – as well as former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif – for war crimes and crimes against humanity has led to immense pressure on the Labour Government, which is still supplying Israel with arms.

READ MORE: Keir Starmer shamed for silence on Netanyahu ICC arrest warrant

Flynn told MPs: “Last year, the Labour Party had to be dragged into accepting that there was a collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Indeed [Falconer's] boss said that ‘war is ugly’. The Labour Party earlier this year had to be dragged into even uttering the words ‘ceasefire’.

“So can I ask him, will he show the leadership that his bosses fail to do and say that if Benjamin Netanyahu’s feet touch the ground in the UK, you will comply with the arrest warrant?”

Falconer replied: “War is ugly, and we are doing everything that we can to bring it to a close through all of the diplomatic measures that you would expect. This is not an issue for grandstanding. This is an issue for diplomacy, and that is what this government is committed to.”

Before this exchange, Labour MP Sarah Owen told MPs: “The ICC found grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant each bear criminal responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other humane acts. It goes on to say, the crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.”

She added: “When will we use every diplomatic lever to stop the killing, free all hostages and stop selling arms to a country led by someone accused of such horrific war crimes?”

READ MORE: Full list of countries that must arrest Netanyahu amid ICC warrant

Falconer responded: “I’d like to just be clear that what I have said this afternoon is not that the Government will uphold arrest warrants. What I have been clear about this afternoon is that due process will be followed. These are questions for independent courts in the UK, and it is independent courts that would review the arrest warrants if that situation were to arise.”

He added: “Insufficient aid is getting into Gaza. I travelled myself to the Gaza border and saw the restrictions Israel is putting on aid reaching Gaza.”

Falconer was repeatedly urged by MPs to give a definitive answer on the UK’s likely response to the ICC warrants.

Falconer said there is a domestic legal process to be followed through the courts that “determines whether or not to endorse an arrest warrant” by the ICC, adding this has “never been tested” as the UK has yet to be visited by an ICC indictee.