Britain has given the Israeli defence minister Shaul Mofaz an assurance of immunity from arrest in connection with allegations of crimes against humanity when he arrives in London today.
Human rights lawyers accused the government of a "creative legal interpretation" designed to protect him from a Scotland Yard investigation during his four-day visit.
Mr Mofaz, the army chief of staff during the Israeli military reoccupation of West Bank cities in 2002, left Britain hurriedly during a visit 16 months ago after lawyers for Palestinian families sent a dossier of alleged war crimes to the director of public prosecutions.
Israel sought the assurance of immunity. The Foreign Office said it had not offered a guarantee but had consulted the Metropolitan police, who said Mr Mofaz was entitled to diplomatic immunity. The Met declined to discuss how the decision was reached...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1145389,00.html