Israeli ex-military chief cancels trip to UK {edit}

[Englander]

Israeli ex-military chief cancels trip to UK over threat of war crimes arrest

Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
Friday September 16, 2005
The Guardian

A former Israeli military chief, Moshe Yaalon, has cancelled a trip to London for fear of arrest on war crimes charges relating to attacks on Palestinian civilians and property.

The Israeli authorities have also warned the present chief of staff, General Dan Halutz, to avoid travel to the UK after a warrant was issued in London against a third officer, retired major general Doron Almog, for alleged crimes in the Gaza Strip. Israeli diplomats helped Mr Almog to evade arrest when he flew into Heathrow on Sunday by warning him not to leave the plane.

The warrant has infuriated the Israeli government. The foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, described it as "scandalous" and planned to press the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, for a change in the law that makes such arrests possible. Aides of Ariel Sharon said he was considering raising the issue at a meeting with Tony Blair at the UN in New York yesterday.

Mr Yaalon, who retired as a major general in June, called off his visit to a fundraising event for an Israeli soldiers' welfare association this weekend after officials received information that warrants were being sought against him and Gen Halutz by lawyers in London acting for Palestinian clients.

But both men are vulnerable over the army's policy of mass house demolitions in the Gaza Strip, which critics say are illegal under international law, and "targeted killings" supposedly aimed at Palestinian fighters but which have resulted in the death of large numbers of civilians.

More at;
Guardian Unlimited

[Englander]

1. Arrest fear forces Israeli general to scrap UK trip

BEN LYNFIELD
IN JERUSALEM

THE former chief of staff of the Israeli army has cancelled a planned trip to Britain because he fears being arrested over alleged war crimes in the occupied territories.

General Moshe Yaalon's decision followed moves by Israeli peace campaigners to obtain arrest warrants in Britain against army officials alleged to have been involved in crimes against Palestinians.

He had been invited to take part in a fundraising event organised by an Israeli soldier support group. But he pulled out after Doron Almog, Israel's former Gaza Strip commander, avoided arrest at London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday only by remaining on his plane after it landed.

The London solicitors Hickman and Rose obtained a warrant for his arrest over allegations he violated the Geneva Convention by ordering the army's destruction of 59 Palestinian houses in a refugee camp in 2002.

The Israeli group Yesh Gvul later confirmed it was providing information so British arrest warrants could be issued against those Israelis allegedly involved in dropping a one-tonne bomb on a residential area of Gaza City in July 2002.

The bomb killed a Hamas military leader, Salah Shehadeh, and 14 civilians, most of them children. About 150 others were injured.

More at;
The Scotsman

[Scurrilous]

2. More on Halutz (2/22/05):

New army chief appointed

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3049496,00.html

<snip>

"Major General Dan Halutz will be the next IDF Chief-of-Staff, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has decided."

<snip>

"However, the appointment has elicited harsh reactions among left-wing politicians, in light of controversial remarks made by Halutz in the past following the assassination of Hamas terrorist Salah Shehadeh.

At the time, Halutz said he "sleeps well at night" following the killing, even though Palestinian civilians also died in the strike.

Yachad Party Knesset Member Yossi Sarid said Halutz’s nomination marks an historic event, “because for the first time the IDF is headed by someone who sleeps well at night after 14 innocent people have been killed.”

<snip>

"The appointment of Dan Halutz is a grave step that flies in the face of the current positive atmosphere, Hadash party Secretary General Ouda Bashrat said.
"Whoever sleeps well after Palestinian children are murdered…should face justice at the International War Crimes Court and not be appointed as army chief," he said."

[bemildred]

3. Bring Mr. Kissinger in. If he makes it out again, we can try some others.

:popcorn:

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Seriously

Would I be subject to arrest in the UK for "aiding and abetting" war crimes by the acts of:
1) Posting pro-Israel statements on DU.
2) Contributing to the Zionist Organization of America and Chabad Lubavitch.

[Violet_Crumble]

5. That was seriously trivialising attacks on Palestinians...

..that you see serious crimes such as attacks on civilians and mass demolition of homes as on a par with posting on DU and making contributions...

Violet...

[Coastie for Truth]

6. Aiding and abetting, conspiracy, sedition, and accessory before the fact

are also serious offenses.

Under the common law of England, the US, Canada, and I guess Australia, they carry the same penalty as the offense, or one click down.

As a Coast Guard officer I was a "Federal Law Enforcement Officer" with full powers of law enforcement officer's arrest.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.