London, March 8, IRNA — The British government’s decision to delay changing the law to limit the arrest of alleged war criminals faces an early test with impending visits by former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and former Shin Bet head Ami Ayalon.
Olmert, who was prime minister during Israeli latest slaughter of over 1,400 Palestinians in Gaza last year, is reported to be coming to the UK to watch Manchester United play AC Milan in the second leg of the first knock out in the Champions League tie.
The former premier, who is already facing corruption charges in Israel, is believed to be visiting the UK on a “purely personal basis,” according to the Jewish Chronicle.
Last year, an attempt to arrest Israeli war minister Ehud Barak for war crimes was thwarted after he was given diplomatic immunity, but a visit by former foreign minister Tzipi Livni was cancelled at the last moment when a warrant was issued.
Ayalon, who faced an attempted prosecution for war crimes at the Hague in 2008, is also reportedly determined to risk arrest by attending a debate on the Goldstone Report at the London School of Economics on Monday night.
“It’s OK if they arrest me. I can’t do anything about it. It is a risk I think we should take,” the former head of the Israeli secret service was quoted saying by the Jewish Chronicle.
The British government has pledged to prevent the arrest of Israeli leaders for war crimes under the principle of universal jurisdiction, but last week announced it was delaying changing the law until after elections following a rebellion by over 120 MPs.