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ABOUTReform began after arrest warrant issued in 2009 against opposition leader Tzipi Livni; British Ambassador says change law ‘can no longer be abused for political reasons.’
IOA Editor: The change itself is an abuse of the law for political reason.
By Barak Ravid and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz – 15 Sept 2011
www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/britain-changes-law-that-enabled-war-crime-charges-against-israelis-1.384674
Reform began after arrest warrant issued in 2009 against opposition leader Tzipi Livni; British Ambassador says change law ‘can no longer be abused for political reasons.’
Britain has amended a law that allowed for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli politicians who visit the country, the British Ambassador announced Thursday. Ambassador Matthew Gould called opposition leader Tzipi Livni, against whom an arrest warrant was issued in 2009, and told her the Queen has signed the amendment “to ensure that the UK’s justice system can no longer be abused for political reasons.”
Lawyers working with Palestinian activists in recent years have sought the arrest of senior Israeli civilian and military figures under terms of universal jurisdiction. This legal concept empowered judges to issue arrest warrants for visiting officials accused of war crimes in a foreign conflict, under the principle of universal jurisdiction which holds that some alleged crimes are so grave that they can be tried anywhere, regardless of where the offences were committed.
After the warrant was issued against Livni in 2009, Foreign Secretary David Miliband announced that Britain would no longer tolerate legal harassment of Israeli officials in that fashion.
Ambassador Gould added Thursday that the change in the law will ensure that people cannot be detained when there is no realistic chance of prosecution, while ensuring that we continue to honour our international obligations.
Livni welcomed the amendment, and told Gould that she is “pleased that the warrant issued against me opened Britain’s eyes and will put a stop to the cynical use of British legislation against IDF commanders and soldiers.”
Livni added that “real justice has been done, and it will distinguish between leaders and commanders who defend their country against terrorism, and real war criminals.”
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{ 2 comments }
War crimes themselves are political, by definition.
This is disgraceful, that the less than objective British Ambassador (who is also Jewish and Zionist to boot) has to phone Livni triumphantly to inform her of the Queen’s signing of the new passport for Israeli war criminals to move freely in and out of the UK without an arrest warrant being allowed, unless the Attorney General supports prosecution, if there is sufficient evidence. This process is political and can take months and even years!
To dismiss the previous application of international jurisdiction, entrenched in international law, on visiting Israeli leaders like Livni, and IDF generals like Almog, as being only for political reasons and not to redress serious crimes and injustice is cynical, and political in itself as it underlines the UK’s hypocritical support for Israeli officials, while continually condemning its illegal occupation and settlement building. What more evidence does it need than the Goldstone report on Gaza does one need (although Israel has tried to hijack that as well)!
Livni’s comment is priceless, and without irony, defending the IDF’s heroic defence of Israel, even while the whole world is a witness to their crimes.
In contrast, Sheikh Raed Salah, a prominent religious Palestinian leader and mayor, who has non-violently resisted Israel’s encroachment in East Jerusalem and the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) and the obscene Museum of Tolerance built over an uprooted ancient Muslim cemetery, and was also on the Mavi Marmara flotilla, was falsely accused of being anti-semitic (even Israeli courts could not find evidence) was arrested and jailed after entering the UK quite naturally as an Israeli visitor. The arrest warrant was issued retrospectively after pro-Zionist MPs raised the issue in Parliament, even though Salah had filed a libel suit against the press for its anti-semitism claims.
The deportation of Salah was prevented on appeal, and he was released on bail, which even further was appealed against by the Home Secretary. He will now pursue his law case, and reveal the UK’s craven support for Israel to the extent that it has changed international law to suit a foreign country mired in war crimes being committed every day, while penalising Palestinians with the underlying brand of being terrorists, even though they promote non-violent resistance to the Occupation!
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