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Britain has been urged to back the International Criminal Court after its chief prosecutor sought arrest warrants for leaders of Israel and Hamas.
A letter from more than 100 mostly left-wing parliamentarians said the Israeli leadership “must be held to account” over the war in Gaza.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has described the arrest warrant move as a “deeply unhelpful development” that will not help bring peace.
But the letter to Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the government should “take a clear stance” against attempts to influence the court.
“We also call on the UK government to do all it can to support the court in ensuring accountability and justice for the victims of these crimes,” it said.
The letter was organised by Labour MPs Richard Burgon and Imran Hussain and signed by more than 100 MPs and peers from 11 parties.
Most represent Labour or Scottish and Irish nationalist parties. Members of the Labour leadership such as Keir Starmer and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy did not sign the letter.
Mr Lammy has said that “the independence of international courts must be respected and that all sides must be accountable for their actions”.
One Conservative MP, Mark Logan, put his name to the letter, which was shared on social media by the Palestinian mission in the UK.
“We believe that there is mounting evidence that Israel has committed clear and obvious violations of international law in Gaza and strongly believe that those responsible must be held to account,” it said.
The ICC's chief prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh.
A panel of three ICC judges must consider British prosecutor Karim Khan's application, in a process that takes typically takes about two months.
Although Israel is not a member of the ICC, it could become difficult for Mr Netanyahu or Mr Gallant to travel abroad if the warrants are issued.
Zarah Sultana, one of the letter's Labour signatories, asked the Prime Minister on Wednesday whether they would be arrested in the UK.
Mr Sunak replied that “this is a deeply unhelpful development, which of course is still subject to a final decision”.
“There is no moral equivalence between a democratically elected government exercising their lawful right to self-defence and the actions of a terrorist group,” he told the House of Commons.
“The actions of the ICC do absolutely nothing to get a pause in the fighting, or to get the hostages out or aid in.”
Mr Khan, who took up his ICC role in 2021, accused Israel of carrying out collective punishment and using starvation as a method of warfare.
Regarding Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, he said the terrorist actions were “unconscionable crimes” that “demand accountability”.
Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
- Former first lady Hillary Clinton
- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
