London mayor says Netanyahu not welcome, urges ICC arrest

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in the British capital and that the United Kingdom must enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him if he visits. Khan's comments, made in a July 23 interview with Channel 4 News, have ignited a political debate in the UK over the balance between international legal obligations and diplomatic relations.

Khan said that people who commit genocide are not welcome in London and argued that those accused of such crimes must face justice. He stated he would lobby Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government to ensure British authorities uphold the law should Netanyahu travel to the UK. The mayor's remarks followed similar comments by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said Netanyahu was not welcome in New York but acknowledged his city lacked the authority to execute an ICC warrant, urging federal action instead.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel's military operations in Gaza since October 2023....