LONDON: A new survey poll revealed that a large majority of Britons support arrest warrants of Israeli’s Prime Minister issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The survey, conducted by the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) and Medical Aid for Palestinians, follows a request by Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Conducted on July 30-31, the poll shows that 84% of the UK public believe Netanyahu and Gallant should be arrested if they enter British jurisdiction.
The current UK government has reversed previous legal opposition to Khan’s request, a move CAABU has praised as a “welcome first step.” Chris Doyle, CAABU’s director, stated, “The British government may soon need to act on ICC arrest warrants related to recent atrocities. This government has pledged to uphold international law, and this poll indicates that the public overwhelmingly supports accountability and justice.”
Furthermore, the poll found that 58% of Britons support halting weapons sales to Israel, while only 18% are opposed. Despite the former government’s reluctance to support a ceasefire in Gaza, 74% of the public believe the UK should advocate for an end to the conflict, which has resulted in over 39,000 Palestinian deaths and 91,000 injuries.
Rohan Talbot, MAP’s director of advocacy and campaigns, emphasized, “As Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment continues, including attacks on homes and healthcare facilities, the British public’s call for action is clear. The government must suspend arms sales to Israel and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza immediately. The situation cannot wait any longer.”
