British Arrest Warrant for Tzipi Livni

UK ponders law change after Tzipi Livni arrest warrant

(BBC News) – The warrant was granted by a London court at the request of Palestinian plaintiffs, provoking Israeli anger. It was revoked when it was found Ms Livni was not visiting the UK.

Ms Livni was foreign minister during Israel’s Gaza assault last winter. She said the court had been “abused” by the Palestinian plaintiffs who requested the warrant.

In a statement on Mr Miliband said: “Israel is a strategic partner and a close friend of the UK. We are determined to protect and develop these ties. Israeli leaders – like leaders from other countries – must be able to visit and have a proper dialogue with the British government.”

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called Tzipi Livni to
express shock over a warrant issued for her arrest in the U.K. (Haaretz)

UK ambassador rebuked

It was the first time a UK court had issued a warrant for the arrest of a former Israeli minister.

“This is not a suit against Tzipi Livni, this is not a lawsuit against Israel. This is a lawsuit against any democracy that fights terror.” She stood by her decisions during the three-week Gaza offensive which began in December last year, she said.

Israel’s foreign ministry summoned the UK’s ambassador to Israel to deliver a rebuke over the warrant.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the situation was “an absurdity”.

“We will not accept a situation in which [former Israeli Prime Minister] Ehud Olmert, [Defence Minister] Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni will be summoned to the defendants’ chair,” Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.

“We will not agree to have Israel Defence Force soldiers, who defended the citizens of Israel bravely and ethically against a cruel and criminal enemy, be recognised as war criminals. We completely reject this absurdity taking place in Britain,” he said.

Israel denies claims by human rights groups and the UN investigator Richard Goldstone that its forces committed war crimes during the operation, which it said was aimed at ending Palestinian rocket fire at its southern towns.  

Police shoot U.S. student’s laptop upon entry to Israel

(Haaretz) – Israel Border Police officers shot at an American student’s laptop as she entered Israel via Taba, Egypt, two weeks ago.

Lily Sussman, 21, wrote on her blog that border police subjected her to two hours of questioning and searches prior to shooting her Apple Macbook three times.

“They had pressed every sock and scarf with a security device, ripped open soap and had me strip extra layers. They asked me tons of questions?where are you going?” Sussman wrote, describing the experience.

“Who do you know? Do you have a boyfriend? Is he Arab, Egyptian, Palestinian? Why do you live in Egypt? Why not Israel? What do you know about the ‘conflict’ here? What do you think? They quizzed me on Judaism, which I know nothing about,” she continued.

"I'm sorry but we had to blow up your laptop."  

“The security officers did not ask about my laptop prior to shooting it,” Sussman told Daily News Egypt. “They used the word ‘blew up’ when they told me they destroyed my laptop. I don’t know why they shot it.”

Blogger should be happy she was not run over by a caterpillar