Ex-ICC Prosecutor Alleges UK Threatened to Withdraw Funding Over Netanyahu Arrest Warrant Bid
Karim Khan claims British officials privately warned of defunding or withdrawal from the International Criminal Court if warrants for Israeli leaders were pursued
The former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has asserted that United Kingdom officials privately threatened to defund or withdraw the country’s support for the court in response to plans to seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders.
In a detailed submission to the court, Karim Khan said that in an April 2024 telephone conversation with a senior British official he was urged not to proceed with the application for warrants — which stem from alleged war crimes during the conflict in Gaza — on the grounds that such action would have serious diplomatic and policy repercussions.
Khan did not publicly name the interlocutor, but reporting and sources familiar with the matter have identified the official as the then UK Foreign Secretary.
According to Khan’s account, the British representative cautioned that issuing arrest warrants could lead to the UK scaling back financial contributions to the International Criminal Court and even withdrawing from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the tribunal.
The prosecutor also said that pressure was exerted by representatives of other states during the same period, warning of adverse consequences if the court pursued warrants against Netanyahu and Israel’s then-defence minister.
The alleged threat to funding and membership underscores the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the ICC’s investigation into the Gaza war, which has drawn divergent responses from governments worldwide.
Prosecutor Khan has stressed that his request for arrest warrants was based solely on legal criteria and independent analysis of available evidence, and not on political considerations or external pressure.
His comments form part of a broader defence against attempts to challenge or discredit the court’s actions.
In November 2024, the ICC judges accepted the prosecutor’s application and issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, the defence minister and senior leaders of the armed group Hamas on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The warrants represent a rare instance in which sitting national leaders have become subject to international arrest orders, obliging member states to detain them if they enter their territory.
The UK Government has not publicly confirmed the details of the alleged threat, and officials have historically described matters related to ICC cooperation as confidential.
Under the subsequent Labour administration, the UK dropped its predecessor’s plans to raise formal objections to the court’s jurisdiction in these cases, stating that legal determinations are a matter for the independent tribunal.
The evolving situation continues to reflect tensions between national governments and international justice mechanisms as the ICC’s activities attract sustained global attention.
In a detailed submission to the court, Karim Khan said that in an April 2024 telephone conversation with a senior British official he was urged not to proceed with the application for warrants — which stem from alleged war crimes during the conflict in Gaza — on the grounds that such action would have serious diplomatic and policy repercussions.
Khan did not publicly name the interlocutor, but reporting and sources familiar with the matter have identified the official as the then UK Foreign Secretary.
According to Khan’s account, the British representative cautioned that issuing arrest warrants could lead to the UK scaling back financial contributions to the International Criminal Court and even withdrawing from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the tribunal.
The prosecutor also said that pressure was exerted by representatives of other states during the same period, warning of adverse consequences if the court pursued warrants against Netanyahu and Israel’s then-defence minister.
The alleged threat to funding and membership underscores the diplomatic sensitivities surrounding the ICC’s investigation into the Gaza war, which has drawn divergent responses from governments worldwide.
Prosecutor Khan has stressed that his request for arrest warrants was based solely on legal criteria and independent analysis of available evidence, and not on political considerations or external pressure.
His comments form part of a broader defence against attempts to challenge or discredit the court’s actions.
In November 2024, the ICC judges accepted the prosecutor’s application and issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, the defence minister and senior leaders of the armed group Hamas on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The warrants represent a rare instance in which sitting national leaders have become subject to international arrest orders, obliging member states to detain them if they enter their territory.
The UK Government has not publicly confirmed the details of the alleged threat, and officials have historically described matters related to ICC cooperation as confidential.
Under the subsequent Labour administration, the UK dropped its predecessor’s plans to raise formal objections to the court’s jurisdiction in these cases, stating that legal determinations are a matter for the independent tribunal.
The evolving situation continues to reflect tensions between national governments and international justice mechanisms as the ICC’s activities attract sustained global attention.
