Author: Shameneh Majid
Claim: England has announced that it will arrest Netanyahu if he enters the country, according to an ICC report.
Fact: While a warrant by the International Criminal Court from November 2024 applies to its member nations, including the UK , no such official announcement has been made by the government. Further, there has been no recent report or statement by the ICC to indicate this announcement from the UK government.
A social media post was recently shared by a page called ‘Humanistan’ on Facebook, claiming that England will arrest Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country, in accordance with the International Criminal Court (ICC). The post in the claim does not specify a timeline for the announcement and, therefore, suggests that the announcement was made by the UK government recently. It also includes an image of Keir Starmer, implying that the incumbent Labour government has made the announcement recently.
Screenshot of the Facebook post claiming that England has announced it will arrest Netanyahu if he enters the country.
The post’s caption states the following:
“The United Kingdom has officially stated that Isr@eli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be arr-ested if he enters the country, in compliance with the ICC arr-est warr-ant.
This development follows the ICC’s issuance of warr-ants related to alleged w@r cr!_mes and cr!_mes ag@inst hum@nity.
Disclaimer: The background image and visual edits used in this post are AI-generated and created for informational and awareness purposes only. The visuals are symbolic representations and are not directly connected to the real event or individuals shown. However, the news and information shared are based on authentic and original reports and this content not to criticise, disfame and disrespect any, individual, Group or country.
#ICC #UnitedKingdom #GlobalPolitics”
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check found that the claim is misleading.
On November 21, 2024 the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, finding reasonable grounds to suspect them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Since the ICC relies on its member countries for enforcement, all 124 signatory nations are now legally obligated to detain and extradite both individuals if they enter their borders.
Bound as a signatory to the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court Act 2001, the United Kingdom is legally required to enforce this warrant. The law is applicable across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, meaning that if Netanyahu enters British territory, authorities are obligated to arrest him and transfer him to The Hague. However, England, or the UK, has not made any recent or official announcements confirming that they will arrest the Israeli PM in the event that he does enter British territory.
While there is no recent announcement by the UK government regarding his arrest, according to the BBC, in November 2024, a spokesperson of the UK government did not commit to a clear stance in agreement with the ICC’s warrant. Downing Street “indicated” that Netanyahu faces arrest if he travels to the UK, the BBC said. When asked in November 2024 if the government would arrest Netanyahu on entering the UK, a spokesman from Downing Street refused to comment on “hypotheticals” and said that the government would fulfil its “legal obligations”, the same report by the BBC added.
Therefore, while a Downing Street spokesman “indicated” that Netanyahu faces arrest if he travels to the UK, it was done so in response to a question in November 2024. England has not made any specific announcements, even recently, confirming that the Israeli PM will be arrested if he enters the country.
In fact, prior to that, in April 2024, the British government under Rishi Sunak had privately threatened to defund the ICC and withdraw its membership from the Rome Statute, according to a report by the Middle East Eye.
Since the issuance of the ICC warrant in 2024 and developments up until 2025, there have been no official announcements by the UK government or the ICC recently. The claim indicates that the ICC’s report of England’s announcement is inaccurate.
Therefore, Soch Fact Check concludes that the claim is misleading as England did not make any such announcement to arrest Netanyahu, even recently.
Virality
The claim was spread widely on Facebook, appearing on Fetch Pakistan with over 398 shares and over 10,000 likes.
Humanistan also shared the post on their Facebook page with 254 likes. Facebook user Raza Samo also shared this claim, which garnered 9,500 likes. Additionally, @global_echo_also shared this claim on their Instagram page.
Conclusion: The claim is misleading. England has not officially announced they will arrest Netanyahu.
Background images in cover photo: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Netanyahu
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com