Sadiq Khan, the Muslim Mayor of London, has said that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travels to the United Kingdom, he will urge the British government to enforce the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He stressed that individuals facing serious international allegations should be held accountable before the law.
Speaking to the British broadcaster Channel 4 News on Thursday, July 23 (1 Asad in the Afghan calendar), the Mayor of London said, “People accused of genocide should not be in London.” He added that he would ask the British Prime Minister to ensure that the country’s laws are upheld and that the ICC arrest warrant is not ignored should Netanyahu enter British territory.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza. Israel has rejected the allegations and maintains that it does not recognize the Court’s jurisdiction.
The UK government has previously stated that it remains committed to its obligations under the International Criminal Court and that, if an individual subject to an ICC arrest warrant enters the country, it will act in accordance with domestic law and its international commitments.
Khan’s remarks come as the ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu remains legally valid for states parties to the Rome Statute, including the United Kingdom. However, the enforcement of such warrants ultimately depends on the cooperation of national governments and the decisions of the competent authorities in each country.
Earlier, Zohran Mamdani, the Muslim Mayor of New York City, also said that he would support the enforcement of the ICC arrest warrant if Netanyahu were to visit the city. He later clarified, however, that the New York City administration has no legal authority to arrest the Israeli prime minister and that, if there were a legal basis for enforcing such a warrant, the matter would fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal government.
Since the ICC issued the arrest warrant, Netanyahu has traveled to several countries. In early April 2025, he visited Hungary and met with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The trip marked his first visit to a member state of the International Criminal Court following the issuance of the arrest warrant.
At the time, the Hungarian government announced that it would not arrest Netanyahu and simultaneously began the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court. However, following political changes in the country, Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar announced that the incoming government would halt the withdrawal process.
Speaking at a press conference in Budapest, Magyar said he had conveyed this position clearly to Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized that individuals sought by the International Criminal Court would, if present on Hungarian territory, be subject to the country’s legal procedures concerning ICC arrest warrants.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
