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How Britain protects 'Israel' from war crimes charges: Declassified UK

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Declassified UK
  • 2 May 2024 20:33
  • 7 Shares
4 Min Read

Benjamin Netanyahu, and member of the war cabinet, Benny Gantz, were among 10 Israeli officials who received special immunity from prosecution.

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  • How Britain protects
    Israeli minister Benny Gantz and David Cameron in a meeting in March 2024 (UK Government photo)

The Conservative Party of the UK has repeatedly protected Israeli politicians, spies, and forces from arrest on charges of committing war crimes when they visit Britain, Declassified UK reported.

According to the report, Benjamin Netanyahu and war cabinet member Benny Gantz were among 10 Israeli officials who “received special immunity from prosecution.”

On March 6, the Foreign Office issued a "special mission" certificate to Israeli war minister Benny Gantz, who was traveling to Britain to meet with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

General Herzi Halevi, the current commander of the IOF who has authorized preparations for an attack on Rafah, was granted permission to visit the UK while serving as military intelligence director. 

Israeli authorities have become more anxious in recent weeks since reportedly the names of Netanyahu, Security Minister Yoav Gallant, and Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi have been circled as suspects of war crimes that the ICC will look to prosecute.

The British government allowed dozens of Israeli diplomats "special mission" immunity, allowing them to visit the UK without fear of arrest for their accusations of serious violations of international law.

Then Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed that Britain could not be in a "position where Israeli politicians feel they cannot visit this country," essentially proving the law was altered for Israeli officials.

According to Declassified, this might violate Britain's commitment to universal jurisdiction laws such as the Rome Statute, which allows the most serious crimes to be tried regardless of where they occurred.

Keir Starmer helped Tzipi Livni walk free despite war crime charges

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In March, Declassified UK reported that Labour chief Keir Starmer denied requests from a human rights organization in 2011 to issue an arrest warrant for former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni while she visited London for suspected war crimes.

Starmer formerly served as the Crown Prosecution Service's Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and denied the request on grounds of awarding Livni a "special mission" status during her visit.

Declassified has requested any correspondence with and from Starmer's office about the issue, which may indicate what circumstances and negotiations led to Livni fleeing without punishment. 

However, the CPS has censored numerous critical communications, stating that disclosing such material would jeopardize the proper administration of public affairs.

John Mcevoy wrote that given the Labour Party's continued backing for "Israel's" horrific attack on Gaza, Starmer's participation in the Livni case deserves more scrutiny.

Livni served as the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister from 2006 to 2009, in addition to being a member of the occupation's war cabinet during "Operation Cast Lead", i.e. the Battle of al-Furqan (2008–2009) when "Israel" killed over 1,400 Palestinians, including 333 children. 

These atrocities included "the direct targeting and arbitrary killing of Palestinian civilians," and there was also a "deliberate and systematic policy… to target industrial sites and water installations."

Thousands rally against UK supply of arms to 'Israel', demand halt

The city of London witnessed tens of thousands marching and calling on the UK government to aid in implementing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and halt arms supplies to "Israel". 

"We are here to call for the victory of the Palestinian struggle that for us, it means the end of this genocidal war against Gaza, against the West Bank, and against all the Palestinian people," one protester said.

Another stated, "It's not in our name, we are selling Englanders selling arms to Israel, and it's got to stop. They're creating genocide. And we don't want any part of it."

In Hyde Park, multiple speakers attended, including Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill who condemned the UK, the US, and the EU for being complicit in the genocide in Gaza. 

"Nobody is unsafe in London. If you come into London wanting to defend genocide, people are going to criticize you whether you're Jewish, whether you're Muslim, whether you're Christian, or whatever," a third protester insisted, adding, "We criticize Sunak, we criticize Starmer, neither of them is Jewish, because they defend genocide, they insist on arming Israel to kill innocent civilians."

  • Britain
  • United Kingdom
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • war on Gaza
  • Gaza
  • Israeli war crimes
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Benny Gantz
  • Herzi Halevi
  • David Cameron
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