Israel summons British ambassador to protest Livni's arrest warrant on charges of war crimes in Gaza

by Xu Gang

JERUSALEM, Dec. 15, 2009, (Xinhua) --

The Israeli occupation government Tuesday summoned British ambassador to Israel Tom Phillips, rebuking him over the arrest warrant issued by a British court against former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on charges of war crimes in Gaza.

Israel views the arrest warrant with utmost gravity, Naor Gilon, deputy director at Israeli Foreign Ministry in charge of Western Europe, was cited by local daily Ha'aretz as telling Phillips.

Gilon also called on the ambassador to urge his government to change the law that allows for arrest warrants to be issued against senior Israeli officials over alleged war crimes perpetrated in the Gaza Strip during last winter's conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Also on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying that Israel will not agree to have its leaders be recognized as war criminals.

"We will not accept a situation in which Ehud Olmert, Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni will be summoned to the defendants' chair," Netanyahu was quoted by Ha'aretz as saying in a statement.

Livni, Kadima chairwoman, served as foreign minister alongside then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak during the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Operation Cast Lead in Gazalast winter. The three figures comprised the "troika" of top decision-makers who charted the course of the war.

The harsh Israeli response came after the British newspaper The Guardian reported Monday that a warrant for Livni's arrest had been issued by the Westminster Magistrate's Court, but was rescinded when it was discovered that she was not in Britain.

The arrest warrant was issued following a complaint by pro-Palestinian activists that the former Israeli foreign minister, who was scheduled to travel to Britain on Sunday but cancelled her trip at the last minute, had been responsible for war crimes during Operation Cast Lead.

"We will not agree to have IDF soldiers, who defended the citizens of Israel bravely and ethically against a cruel and criminal enemy, be recognized as war criminals. We completely reject this absurdity taking place in Britain," added Netanyahu.

Livni, however, appeared unfazed by the arrest warrant issued against her, speaking Tuesday at an Institute for National Security Studies conference in Tel Aviv that "The operation in Gaza was necessary. Operation Cast Lead was meant to restore Israel's deterrence and did restore Israel's deterrence."

Earlier Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement, calling on the British government to take action over the arrest warrant against Livni.

"Israel calls on the British government to fulfill, once and for all, its promises and prevent an abuse of the British legal system against Israel and its citizens by anti-Israel elements," said the statement.

"Lack of firm and immediate action aimed at repairing the situation will harm the relations between the two countries," warned the statement, adding that "If Israeli leaders cannot visit Britain in a proper and honorable manner, this will naturally serve as a real obstacle to Britain's desire to take an active part in the Middle East peace process."

In response, the British embassy in Israel said in a statement that Britain is determined to work for peace in the Middle East and to be a strategic partner of Israel.

"To do this, Israeli leaders need to be able to come to the UK for talks with the British government. We are looking urgently at the implications of this case," said the embassy statement.

Editor: Yan

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