Israeli officers abandon UK visit, fearing war crimes arrest

Israeli officials said Jan. 5 that a military delegation had canceled a trip to the UK over fears that they would be arrested on war crimes charges for their involvement in last year’s Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon that day in Jerusalem with UK Attorney General Patricia Janet Scotland to challenge several British arrest warrants for Israeli politicians and military officials, stating that the warrants are straining Israeli-British foreign relations. The arrest warrants are the result of Palestinian plaintiffs working with British lawyers to bring charges against Israeli officials. Scotland, who also gave a speech Jan. 5 at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told Ayalon that UK officials were working to resolve the issue and protect senior officials traveling to the UK. (Jurist, Jan. 5)

See our last post on Israel/Palestine.

Please leave a tip or answer the Exit Poll.