Lawyers seek UK sanctions against Israel's Netanyahu over Gaza war

A UK-based Arab human rights organisation has formally requested that the British government impose sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in what it says is the first attempt to target a sitting Israeli leader under the UK's Global Human Rights Sanctions regime.

The request was submitted to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) last Wednesday by law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn on behalf of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights UK (AOHR UK), seeking targeted financial and travel sanctions against Netanyahu over war crimes against Palestinians.

The move builds on earlier UK action taken in June 2025, when Britain imposed sanctions on Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for inciting settler violence in the occupied West Bank, in coordination with allies including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway.

AOHR UK said its latest submission had argued that accountability should extend beyond individual ministers to the head of government, who authorises and oversees state policy.

The London-based rights group has previously pursued sanctions advocacy through UK legal channels, including the resubmission of requests against Smotrich and Ben-Gvir last year.

The group works on issues including political repression, detention, and violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territory, and says its approach is grounded in publicly available evidence and international legal findings.

In its filing, AOHR UK argues that Netanyahu meets the threshold for designation under the UK's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020, which allow for asset freezes and travel bans against individuals deemed responsible for serious human rights violations, including breaches of the right to life, torture, and inhuman or degrading treatment.

The regulations have previously been used against Russian officials and, more recently, Israeli ministers.

The submission draws heavily on findings by international legal bodies, including the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and multiple United Nations mechanisms.

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu in relation to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare, a decision that was upheld in 2025 despite legal challenges by Israel.

Separately, the ICJ ruled in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory was unlawful, and ordered an end to settlement expansion, later reiterating in October 2025 that Israel remained bound by its obligations in Gaza despite declared ceasefires.

AOHR UK said its request had focused on Netanyahu's direct authorisation and oversight of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and settlement policy in the West Bank, rather than isolated acts by subordinate officials.

The organisation argues that Palestinians continue to be unlawfully killed despite ceasefire declarations, and that no meaningful disciplinary action has been taken against Israeli military personnel for alleged violations.

One example in the submission concerns what AOHR UK describes as Netanyahu's incitement to violence. It cites public statements made in October 2023 in which Netanyahu invoked the biblical "Amalek", Israel's ancient enemy, telling troops to "remember what Amalek has done to you".

While Netanyahu's office later said the remarks had allegedly referred to Hamas rather than Palestinians, the language has been cited by South Africa in genocide proceedings at the ICJ, and UN bodies have warned that such rhetoric contributes to dehumanisation and mass violence.

The submission argues that there are reasonable grounds to suspect the statements amounted to incitement under international legal definitions, particularly when considered alongside the scale and conduct of the Gaza campaign.

AOHR UK also highlights Netanyahu's role in accelerating settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including the approval of major projects such as the E1 settlement plan in September 2025 and the authorisation of 19 new settlements in December 2025, alongside the retroactive legalisation of outposts.

The organisation says these moves directly contradict ICJ rulings and UK government policy, and amount to de facto annexation and the forcible displacement of Palestinians.

"The UK has already acknowledged that senior Israeli officials have promoted serious abuses of Palestinian rights," Mohammed Jamil of AOHR UK said. "It is no longer credible to sanction ministers while exempting the prime minister who authorises, endorses, and directs the policies in question. Accountability cannot stop short of the highest office."

AOHR UK has urged MPs and peers across parties to publicly support the submission and press the government to act in line with its stated commitment to international law.

Senior figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and former foreign secretary David Lammy, have previously described aspects of Israel's conduct in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territory as unlawful and intolerable.

The FCDO has not yet commented on the sanctions request.