Former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz arrived in London and he was not arrested. Mofaz is among former senior IDF and state officials listed on international arrest warrants due to his alleged ‘war crimes’ against residents of Gaza. The warrants are part of the limited success enjoyed by anti-Israel elements who continue efforts to delegitimize Israel.
Mofaz enjoyed diplomatic immunity for as long as he was a Member of Knesset but now that he is out of the political arena he no longer has immunity. There were fears surrounding his trip for the British Foreign Office declined a request from Mofaz made last week seeking diplomatic immunity.
Israel Foreign Ministry officials’ evaluated the situation and two Israeli diplomats were sent to the airport as officials in Yerushalayim reported they are not aware of any warrant against Mofaz. They conferred with senior legal experts in the ministry regarding the possibility of Mofaz being arrested.
Mofaz traveled to London to participate in an event in the Jewish community.
After he passed through passport control the two officials from the Israeli Embassy met with Mofaz and escorted him to his hotel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
An international arrest warrant is one issued by a sovereign government or an organization constituted by sovereign governments. A “warrant” issued by a group of private noise-makers is a publicity stunt, not an arrest warrant. Countries that have friendly relations with each don’t arrest each other’s officials – if Britain were to arrest an Israeli under such conditions, the traditional and appropriate respone would be for Israel to break diplomatic relations and to regard all British subjects the same way they regard persons from those countries at war with Israel.