UK urged to arrest Israeli President Isaac Herzog during London visit

Calls are mounting for the arrest of Israeli President Isaac Herzog after he arrived in the UK on Tuesday, with rights groups, campaigners, and lawmakers accusing him of war crimes amid Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza.

Herzog is expected to meet with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday and deliver an address at the Chatham House think tank later that day, before departing London on Friday.

His visit has sparked widespread outrage, coming in the same week Israel launched strikes on Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Qatar, killing dozens and wounding scores more.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has written to Scotland Yard, urging police to open an investigation into Herzog "on suspicion of bearing criminal liability for alleged war crimes".

In its statement, ICJP accused Herzog of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as "actions that constitute plausible genocide".

Calls to arrest Herzog

Protests began earlier this week and are expected to escalate. Demonstrators plan to gather outside Chatham House, banging pots and pans to disrupt Herzog’s speech.

Friends of Al-Aqsa, a UK-based advocacy group, has filed requests with the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General to launch criminal proceedings against Herzog, accusing him of encouraging indiscriminate attacks on Gaza’s civilian population and infrastructure.

The group has also sought an arrest warrant for the Israeli president.

"British politicians have failed to defend the Palestinians and champion the rule of law. There is now an opportunity for the courts to intervene," said Ismail Patel, chair of Friends of Al-Aqsa. "Every official, no matter how senior, must be held accountable for attacks on civilians."

More than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 2023, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Herzog, who has served as Israel’s president since 2021, has faced international condemnation for remarks made in the early days of the war.

The Israeli head of state has previously encouraged the collective punishment of Gaza's people, claiming that there were no innocent civilians in the now-devastated territory.

Amnesty International UK condemned the UK government’s decision to welcome Herzog, saying it undermines Britain’s credibility on human rights. "While Herzog’s role is largely ceremonial, he has chosen to defend collective punishment," said Amnesty UK chief Sacha Deshmukh.

"This visit is a test of leadership and principle. Polite handshakes and warm words will demonstrate neither. The UK will be judged on whether it acted against genocide or helped to whitewash it."

Public anger is expected to intensify, with polls showing the government out of step with voters. A YouGov survey in July found that more than half of Britons believe Israel’s actions in Gaza are unjustified.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski joined calls for Herzog’s arrest, accusing Starmer's government of complicity. "Welcoming a potential war criminal to the UK demonstrates how this Labour government is implicated in the ongoing genocide," he said.

Dozens of lawmakers, including Diane Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn, and Zarah Sultana, signed a letter led by Labour MP Andy McDonald warning Starmer that the visit "risks suggesting the UK is indifferent to its international legal responsibilities".

Addressing protesters in London, Sultana accused Herzog of having "dehumanised an entire population and openly called for their extermination", adding that his visit proves the "Labour government is complicit and enabling genocide".