UK Could Arrest Netanyahu Following ICC Warrant

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LONDON: The British government signaled on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could face arrest in the UK under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, after the court issued charges against him and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC accuses Netanyahu and Gallant of crimes against humanity and war crimes related to Israel's military actions against Hamas in Gaza since October last year. The allegations include the use of starvation as a method of warfare and intentional attacks on civilians.

Although UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman declined to comment specifically on whether British police would detain Netanyahu, he emphasized that the UK would fulfill its legal obligations under both domestic and international law. The UK is a signatory of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and thus is bound to comply with arrest warrants issued by the court.

In contrast, Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris confirmed that Netanyahu would be arrested if he entered the country. Ireland, which has had increasingly strained relations with Israel, has expressed strong support for international courts and their rulings.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards also reacted to the ICC's move, with General Hossein Salami calling it the "end and political death" of Israel, while China urged the ICC to remain objective and just in its proceedings.

As the ICC’s arrest warrants theoretically limit Netanyahu’s international travel, the implications for his movement are becoming clearer, with several countries now obligated to act on the warrants if he steps onto their soil.