British human rights lawyers have formally asked the United Kingdom to consider targeted financial and travel sanctions against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing alleged violations of international law against Palestinians and invoking the UK’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations.
UK Magnitsky Sanctions Request Against Netanyahu Submitted by British Law Firm
A formal submission was filed earlier this week by the London-based law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn on behalf of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK, according to reporting by Middle East Eye. The request was addressed to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and outlined what the rights group described as extensive evidence linking Netanyahu to suspected violations of international law in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and occupied East Jerusalem. The filing argued that certain public statements attributed to the Israeli leader could reasonably be interpreted as incitement to commit prohibited acts, including conduct that the submission said met the legal threshold for incitement to genocide under international law. It further contended that alleged actions against Palestinians were the result of high-level political authorization rather than isolated decisions by lower-ranking officials, and therefore fell within the scope of the UK’s Magnitsky-style sanctions regime, which allows for asset freezes and travel bans against individuals implicated in serious human rights abuses.
Legal Basis, International Context, and UK Precedents for Sanctions
According to the submission, the case relied on findings and provisional measures issued by international bodies, including the International Court of Justice, as well as assessments from United Nations mechanisms and proceedings involving the International Criminal Court. It referenced Netanyahu’s reported invocation in October 2023 of the biblical figure Amalek, language later cited by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, and pointed to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, including approval of the E1 settlement project, as evidence of de facto annexation and forcible displacement inconsistent with ICJ rulings and stated UK policy. The rights group emphasized that the Magnitsky sanctions framework is a preventive administrative measure that does not exempt sitting heads of government, noting previous UK sanctions imposed on leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Aleksandr Lukashenko, and Bashar al-Assad. The filing also highlighted that Netanyahu is already subject to travel restrictions linked to an arrest warrant issued by the ICC over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which obliges Rome Statute member states to arrest him if he enters their territory, a responsibility the UK has indicated it would honor. While France has asserted immunity for Netanyahu as a sitting head of government, legal experts cited by Middle East Eye have said such a position conflicts with international law. The UK Foreign Office declined to comment on the request, and Deighton Pierce Glynn stated that it may pursue judicial review if the government fails to respond, underscoring the potential legal significance of the petition within Britain’s sanctions and accountability framework.