The Muslim Council of Britain welcomes the International Criminal Court’s decision to reject the State of Israel’s challenges to its jurisdiction and issue arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
These charges, including the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts, address atrocities committed in Gaza from October 2023 to May 2024.
Israel’s military offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza, injuries to more than 104,000, and the ongoing ethnic cleansing and famine in Gaza. The crisis has also claimed over 3500 lives in Lebanon and displaced more than a million people.
We urge the UK government to fully support the ICC, uphold international law, stop supplying weapons that fuel these atrocities, and demand accountability. Justice and humanity must prevail to bring an end to these grave violations.
Commenting on the news, the MCB Secretary-General stated:
“The warrants from the International Criminal Court is decisive and clear, the horrors we are seeing in Gaza are in breach of international law. There must now be accountability for such gross violations and for the unconscionable devastation this war has created.
Our government must adhere to the ICC decision. Netanyahu and Gallant must not be allowed entry in the UK or they should be arrested.”