Gaza conflict

Israel has expressed dismay over an arrest warrant issued by a British court against former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni reportedly in connection with Israel’s Gaza offensive one year ago.

The warrant has already been seized upon by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who said the UK government was looking at ways the country’s legal system might be changed to avoid a reoccurrence.

"Israeli leaders, like leaders from other countries, must be able to visit and have a proper dialogue with the British government," he said in a statement.

"The procedure by which arrest warrants can be sought and issued without any prior knowledge or advice by a prosecutor is an unusual feature of the system in England and Wales," he added.

"The government is looking urgently at ways in which the UK system might be changed in order to avoid this sort of situation arising again."

A statement released earlier by the Israeli Foreign Ministry had urged Britain to change the law to prevent such action from being taken in the future.

"It’s not a lawsuit against Tzipi Livni, it’s not a lawsuit against Israel. It’s a lawsuit against any democracy who fights terror," Livni said late Tuesday.

Warrant an "absurdity"

According to British media reports, a magistrate issued the warrant for Livni at the request of lawyers acting on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza. British daily The Guardian has reported that the warrant was related to Livni's role in the war in the Gaza Strip almost a year ago.

The warrant has now been withdrawn after it emerged that Livni had cancelled a planned visit to Britain. It is not clear if the cancellation was linked to the warrant or if the decision not to travel had been taken earlier.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the warrant as an "absurdity," as the country’s Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador to convey its alarm over the situation.

"If Israeli leaders cannot visit Britain in an appropriate and respectable manner it will be a natural obstacle to Britain's wish to fulfil an active role in the Middle East peace process,” the ministry said in a statement.

Several Israeli officials have previously called off trips to Britain as a result of efforts by Palestinians to prosecute Israelis in British courts.

In September, pro-Palestinian activists tried to have Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak arrested for his role in the Gaza conflict but the attempt was rejected on the grounds of diplomatic immunity. Livni would not have enjoyed this immunity as she is no longer a government minister.

dfm/ca/AFP/AP/dpa/Reuters

Editor: Chuck Penfold