In a significant escalation of international pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has publicly labeled Netanyahu a perpetrator of genocide in Gaza and pledged to lobby the UK government to arrest the Israeli leader if he sets foot on British soil. Khan’s comments mark the second high-profile statement from a major Western city mayor in as many days, following similar remarks from New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani that have ignited global debate over accountability for alleged war crimes in the Palestinian enclave.
The controversy began earlier this week when Mamdani released a viral two-minute video address that has accumulated nearly 100 million views online. In the clip, Mamdani labeled Netanyahu a war criminal and called on the U.S. federal government to enforce the International Criminal Court’s existing arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister during his planned September trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Mamdani argued Netanyahu is the architect of what he called a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people, noting the Israeli leader has been linked to the deaths of over 73,000 people in Gaza, the maiming of tens of thousands of children, and the killings of international aid workers and journalists. He added that Netanyahu has launched military actions in six separate countries since 2023. Acknowledging that New York’s city government lacks independent legal authority to execute the ICC warrant, Mamdani urged Washington to enforce the court’s order.
Days later, UK outlet Channel 4 News asked Khan whether he would follow Mamdani’s lead. In his response, Khan acknowledged that the London mayoralty holds different legal powers than the office of New York’s mayor, but made clear he shared Mamdani’s core assessment of the situation in Gaza. “I do believe a genocide is being committed in Gaza. I think Netanyahu is responsible,” Khan said. The London mayor added that as an alleged perpetrator of genocide, Netanyahu has broken international law, and that accountability requires the Israeli leader to be brought to justice.
When pressed to clarify whether he would lobby newly appointed UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government to enforce the ICC’s arrest warrant should Netanyahu visit London, Khan confirmed his commitment to action. “If there is any evidence of him coming to London, I’ll be lobbying the prime minister to make sure the law is enforced,” he said. Khan also noted that, for the time being, there are no indications Netanyahu plans to travel to the British capital, adding: “People who commit genocide are not welcome in London.”
The demands for enforcement follow an historic ICC ruling from November 2024, when the court issued arrest warrants for both Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from Israeli military actions in Gaza launched in October 2023. The warrants marked an unprecedented step in the court’s 24-year history: it was the first time the ICC had issued arrest warrants for senior officials from a Western-allied nation.
Under the terms of the Rome Statute, the international agreement that established the ICC, all 125 signatory nations – including every European Union member state and the United Kingdom – hold a binding legal obligation to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant and turn them over to the court for prosecution. The ICC, however, lacks its own independent enforcement mechanism, and the court cannot conduct a trial in absentia. Neither the United States nor Israel are signatories to the Rome Statute, which has allowed both governments to reject the court’s authority. As a signatory, the United Kingdom is legally required to fulfill the court’s extradition request if Netanyahu enters UK territory.
Khan’s comments were first reported and shared on social media by independent outlet Middle East Eye, which specializes in coverage of the Middle East and North Africa region.