Sharon avoids London fearing arrest for war crimes

9/18/2005 6:00:00 AM GMT

The Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon turned down an invitation from British premier Tony Blair visit Britain, fearing he may be arrested for war crimes, according to press reports.

Blair had invited Sharon to visit UK when the two leaders held talks on the sidelines on the sidelines of the UN summit in New York last week.

Sharon’s fears come after chief-of-staff General Dan Halutz also avoided visiting UK after former Israeli commander Doron Almog narrowly escaped arrest last week at London's Heathrow Airport, The Times reported.

According to a report published by The Irish Sun on Saturday, Sharon had complained about the legal proceedings brought against the commander during his meeting with the British PM, when he declined the invitation.

"I would really like to visit Britain. The trouble is that I, like General Almog, also served in the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) for many years," he was quoted saying. "I too am a general," he added.

During his flight from Israel to London, Almog received a warning that a British court had issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of war crimes, thus he refused to leave the plane on arrival.

Israel’s military chiefs face arrest under the 1957 Geneva Conventions Act that permits the prosecution in Britain for war criminals whatever their nationality, even if their actions were committed abroad, according to IRNA news agency.

On Friday, The Guardian newspaper reported that Israeli foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, was also planning to ask the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, for a change in the law that makes such warrants possible.

• Israel violates Geneva Convention

On Sunday MK Ahmed Tibi (Hadash-Ta'al) submitted a petition to the High Court of Justice demanding Israel to release all Gaza residents it holds in its prisons, Haaretz reported.

Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel must from the moment it ended its rule over the Gaza Strip, hand over all Gazan prisoners to the Palestinian Authority, Tibi said.

Article 77 of the Fourth Geneva Convention stipulates that when an occupying country withdraws from territory, it is then demanded to hand over all prisoners from that territory to the governing body replacing it.

In response to Tibi's demands, the Israeli military said that international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention do not require the release of the prisoners, especially those that have committed serious security offenses against Israel.

The military argued that the holding those prisoners is in compliance with temporary emergency regulations under Israeli Law.

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Israeli Gen. escapes UK arrest on war crimes charges

9/12/2005 3:00:00 PM GMT

The former head of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip escaped arrest Sunday by the London police anti-terrorist and war crimes unit, Israel's Haaretz daily reported.
Maj. Gen. Doron Almog is accused of violating international law during the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, BBC reported.

According to Haaretz, Almog arrived in London's Heathrow airport on an EL-Al jet. Israel's Ambassador Zvi Hefetz knew of a plan to arrest Almog on war crimes charges, and quickly warned him not to leave his plane.
The 54-year-old ex-general decided to remain on the plane which took him back to Israel several hours later.

Almog said he arrived at Heathrow for a three-day visit to raise funds for a centre for disabled Israeli children. "We were about to get off the plane, then one of the stewards came up to me and said the pilot asked that I disembark last," he told Israeli Army Radio.

"After some time, the chief steward said the Israeli military attache was on his way and wanted to speak to me.

"I phoned him and he told me not to get off the plane," he added.

War crimes: >>>continued

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