Sadiq Khan says Netanyahu perpetrating genocide and not welcome in London

What Happened

London Mayor Sadiq Khan stated in a 24 July 2026 Channel 4 News interview that he believes 'a genocide is being committed in Gaza' and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'is responsible'. Khan said that if Netanyahu visited London, he would lobby UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to enforce the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Netanyahu, adding: 'People who commit genocide are not welcome in London.' New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani separately released a video on 22 July 2026 calling Netanyahu 'a war criminal' and the 'architect of a horrific genocide', and urged the US federal government to execute the ICC warrant during Netanyahu's planned trip to New York for the UN General Assembly in September 2026. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity; the UK is a signatory to the Rome Statute and would be obligated to surrender Netanyahu if he enters its territory, while the US is not.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The statements by mayors of major global cities amplify political and public pressure regarding the ICC warrants, potentially deepening diplomatic isolation for Netanyahu and complicating his international travel. They highlight divisions between ICC signatory and non-signatory states and test the UK's stated commitment to international law ahead of the UN General Assembly, where Netanyahu's presence could provoke further legal and diplomatic confrontations.

Watch For

Whether Netanyahu travels to London or New York in the coming months; any response from the UK or US governments on executing the ICC warrant; Israeli government reactions; the impact on Netanyahu's planned UN General Assembly attendance in September 2026; and potential further calls for enforcement from other ICC state parties.