UK granted immunity to Israeli General amid war crimes allegations
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Although Herzi Halevi was not named in the ICC warrants, his role in directing IOF operations in Gaza has drawn international scrutiny.
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Israeli Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Sunday, October 27, 2024 (AP)
Declassified UK on Friday reported that Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel occupation forces (IOF), was granted diplomatic immunity during his visit to the UK in late November.
Provided under a "special mission certificate," the immunity shielded Halevi from potential legal action under Britain's universal jurisdiction laws, which allow for the prosecution of serious international crimes regardless of where they were committed.
Halevi's visit, which included meetings with senior UK officials from the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Office, and Attorney General Richard Hermer, came just days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Read more: ICC reports coercion, threats over Netanyahu, Gallant arrest warrants
Although Halevi was not named in the ICC warrants, his role in directing IOF operations in Gaza has drawn international scrutiny.
Advocacy groups like the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) argue that the UK has a legal obligation under the International Criminal Court Act 2001 to investigate, arrest, and prosecute suspected war criminals.
A controversial decision
The ICJP criticized the UK's decision to grant Halevi immunity, with spokesperson Jonathan Purcell calling it "utterly reckless" and warning that it undermines the UK's global credibility.
This decision is part of a broader pattern of protecting foreign officials through special mission certificates.
Since 2011, when the UK reformed its universal jurisdiction laws, Israeli officials have been frequent beneficiaries of these certificates.
The reforms, implemented under then-Prime Minister David Cameron, require high-level approval for arrest warrants, effectively limiting private applications under universal jurisdiction.
Read more: UN Rapp., ICC head reject France's claim of Netanyahu's court immunity
The shift in UK policy followed a 2005 incident in which a private arrest warrant was issued for retired Israeli general Doron Almog over war crimes in Gaza.
Almog evaded arrest by remaining on his plane at Heathrow Airport. This led to a years-long lobbying effort by the Israeli regime to prevent such occurrences, culminating in the 2011 legal changes.
Since then, over 50 special mission certificates have been issued to officials from countries including "Israel", Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, Tzipi Livni, and Benny Gantz, have frequently received such protections.
