Johnson condemns Met’s Gaza probe
Force criticised over use of resources after appeal to public for evidence of war crimes
BORIS JOHNSON has condemned a Metropolitan Police investigation into Israel over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism police have launched an appeal for witnesses travelling through British airports to report allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Mr Johnson told The Daily Telegraph he was concerned about the “worrying politicisation of the Met police”.
The inquiry is being conducted by the war crimes team within the Met police, supporting a long-running investigation against Israel by the International Criminal Court, based in the Hague. It will also examine events since Oct 7. The ICC will also investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Palestinian factions.
The investigation has caused serious concern among British Jews and threatens a diplomatic rift with Israel.
Scotland Yard said British police had a “responsibility to support” the ICC and that with “higher volumes” of British-based nationals returning to the UK since war broke out, it now “anticipated” a greater number of potential witnesses and victims of war crimes arriving from the region.
However, critics have suggested their resources would be better spent on domestic priorities such as knife crime.
Fears of an escalation of conflict in the Middle East were sparked yesterday when 95 people were killed in Iran by a bombing at the grave of Qassem Soleimani, the figurehead of Iran’s global terrorist operations.
There was no claim of responsibility for the deadliest bombing in the country since the foundation of the Islamic Republic in 1979. The strike, which wounded more than 200 people, came less than 24 hours after the assassination of Hamas’ deputy political leader in a Beirut drone strike.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, vowed a “harsh response” against the “evil and criminal enemies of the Iranian nation”, but stopped short of blaming Israel.
The Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) external wing, who succeeded Soleimani after he was killed in a 2020 US drone strike, said it was carried out by the “Zionist regime and the United States.”
In Britain, Jewish leaders and senior politicians have accused the Met of effective double standards in failing to arrest Hamas supporters for glorifying terrorism on London protests while instead trawling for witnesses to alleged atrocities committed by Israel.
Posters produced by counter-terror police have been spotted at Heathrow airport and are understood to have been displayed at several other ports. They are headlined: “Travellers who have been in Israel/ Palestinian Territories” and then add below: “If you have been in Israel/ Palestinian Territories and have witnessed or been a victim of terrorism, war crimes or crimes against humanity then you can report this to the UK police.”
The posters then encourage air passengers to share information by speaking “to a police officer at the airport today” or by clicking a link to a Met police website.
The poster, which is written in Arabic and Hebrew as well as English, then goes on: “UK policing is supporting the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating alleged war crimes in Israel and Palestine from June 2014 onwards. Any
evidence gathered may be shared with the ICC in support of their investigation.”
Scotland Yard confirmed last night that its war crimes team had received more than 40 referrals “in recent weeks”, including from individuals returning from the region. It is thought the vast majority are complaints of war crimes made against Israel. A Met Police spokesman added that “under the terms of the 1998 Rome Statute our War Crimes Team is obliged to support any investigations opened by the ICC that could involve British subjects” and said the posters were put up to meet those obligations. The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command also continues to gather direct information and evidence relating to the terrorist attack in Israel on Oct 7 in support of the UK coronial investigations into British nationals who were killed during those attacks.
Mr Johnson said last night: “This sounds like a worrying politicisation of the Met police – especially after Met officers were seen tearing down posters of Israeli hostages in Gaza.”
Two officers were pictured removing posters calling for the release of Israeli hostages in October. At the time Scotland Yard defended the action, insisting officers had been acting to defuse local tensions. Mr Johnson went on: “When I was mayor of London I made it clear that we would not import foreign wars or disputes onto the streets of London.
The Met would be better off fighting knife crime in the capital.”
Gideon Falter, the chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “This poster campaign is utterly surreal. Britain’s cities have become no-go zones for Jews. Where are the Met’s posters addressing that unacceptable reality?”
Last night, Britain along with the US and 10 other countries issued a joint statement warning Iranian-backed Houthis to stop attacking ships in the Red Sea. The statement said: “The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”