UK grants Israeli army chief ‘special immunity’ for secret London trip
DEC 13, 2024
The UK’s Labour Government gave Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi diplomatic immunity to allow him to visit the UK for secret meetings without the risk of being arrested for war crimes charges, Scotland’s The National reported on 12 December.
The Labour Government has admitted that Halevi visited the UK, and that it gave him diplomatic immunity through a “Special Mission Immunity certificate” to ensure he would not be arrested during his visit.
The meetings came just days after an international arrest warrant was issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his efforts to starve Palestinians in Gaza.
The arrest warrant for Netanyahu was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 21 November, opening the door to his possible arrest if he visits the UK or other countries that are signatories to the court.
Speculation has arisen that other Israeli figures, including Halevi, could also be issued with arrest warrants.
As head of the Israeli army, Halevi oversaw a drone strike in Gaza in April that killed three British aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK). Autopsy results found all three men died from injuries to their heads, chest, and limbs.
Labour lord and minister Vernon Coaker said that Halevi’s visit was on 25 November.
The ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu was issued just four days before, on 21 November.
During his visit, Halevi met with top UK defense officials, as well as with Attorney General Richard Hermer, the UK Government’s chief law officer.
Member of Parliament Chris Law said the Labour Government’s willingness to host and grant immunity to Halevi was “breath-taking” and “astounding.”
He called for Foreign Secretary David Lammy to explain the appalling timing of this decision, and the purpose of these “Special Mission Immunity Certificates,” particularly as they have been issued exclusively to Israeli officials this year.
Law said: “This behaviour suggests that the UK Government has no interest in seeking justice for victims of alleged war crimes and is instead focused on protecting its Israeli allies from facing any accountability.”
“For as long as states such as the UK continue to use these measures to protect those accused of breaches of international law, it will erode trust in itself as a legitimate partner in the international community, and will undermine international humanitarian law it claims to support,” he added.
Since 7 October 2023, Israel has carried out military operations in Gaza that have killed over 45,000 people, displaced virtually the entire Gaza population of 2.3 million, and destroyed large swathes of the strip, including residential buildings and homes, electricity and water infrastructure, mosques, churches, schools, and hospitals, in a bid to make Gaza uninhabitable.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 