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Israel accuses UK of reneging on war crimes law

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, March 27, IRNA – Israel was reported Friday to be accusing the British government of reneging on its promise to change a law that allows private citizens to obtain arrest warrants for war criminals.

“Both the Blair and Brown governments promised us that they would bring the necessary legislation to Parliament,” said a senior Israeli diplomat.

“But it is clear now that they never really meant to fulfil that promise,” the unnamed diplomat was quoted saying the weekly Jewish Chronicle.

The failure to alter the legislation effectively bars Israeli top brass from entering Britain for fear they would be arrested on arrival, the paper said.

Former British foreign secretary Jack Straw, who is now Justice Secretary, has previously said that he was examining the law that allows citizens to apply for arrest warrants against alleged war criminals.

It is believed that the proposed new legislation plan was to give Britain’s attorney-general, who is also a cabinet minister, a veto over charges brought by private citizens against officials and officers of foreign governments.

The pledge was made after Major General Doron Almog (pictured) was allowed to flee back to Israel after escaping arrest when he landed at London’s Heathrow airport in 2005 after a war crimes warrant was issued after he ordered the demolition of Palestinian homes.

Since then, the fear of arrest for war crimes has reportedly prevented other Israeli military and political leaders from coming to the UK.

According to the Jewish Chronicle, the British Foreign Office has recently sent an unofficial message to Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, blaming the public mood in UK following the latest massace of over 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza.

The message was quoted saying that the UK government would not be changing the legislation during the current session of parliament, as it would be difficult to ensure a majority.

But the delay was criticised by James Arbuthnot MP, Conservative Friends of Israel parliamentary chairman, saying that it was “unfortunate the government did not deal with this issue when it had the chance.”

“It now finds itself in a position where it’s impossible to resolve an important issue. Gaza is just an excuse, because last September other issues were being resolved between the two countries,” Arbuthnot said.

The Jewish Chronicle also suggested that the Gaza massacre was only being used as an excuse, saying that it understood that the Foreign Office had already indicated before last December that it would not be able to make the necessary change to the law.