London, December 16: A British court issued an arrest warrant for former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni on war crimes charges but withdrew it on finding she had canceled a planned trip to Britain, a British newspaper reported.
Westminster magistrates court issued the warrant at the request of lawyers acting for Palestinian victims of fighting in Gaza earlier this year, the paper said in an article.The warrant was later dropped after it was realized that Livni — who had been due to address a meeting in London last weekend — was not in Britain.
Human rights groups and U.N. investigators accuse Israel of war crimes in the Gaza Strip during a 22-day offensive against Hamas-led Islamist militants in which Palestinians say more than 900 civilians died — a figure Israel disputes.Livni, who is head of the opposition Kadima Party, played a key role in launching the offensive.LONDON: A British court issued an arrest warrant for former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni on war crimes charges but withdrew it on finding she had canceled a planned trip to Britain, a British newspaper reported.
Westminster magistrates court issued the warrant at the request of lawyers acting for Palestinian victims of fighting in Gaza earlier this year, the paper said in an article.
The warrant was later dropped after it was realized that Livni — who had been due to address a meeting in London last weekend — was not in Britain.
Human rights groups and U.N. investigators accuse Israel of war crimes in the Gaza Strip during a 22-day offensive against Hamas-led Islamist militants in which Palestinians say more than 900 civilians died — a figure Israel disputes.
Livni, who is head of the opposition Kadima Party, played a key role in launching the offensive.
–Agencies