UK Grants “Israeli” Army Chief Special Immunity on Secret Trip

By Staff, Agencies

“Israel's” military chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, met the UK's attorney general on a secret trip to the UK for which the British government granted him special diplomatic immunity - just days after international arrest warrants were issued for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.

Scottish National Party MP Chris Law stated that the incident was "breathtaking" and "astounding".

On Monday 25 November, “Israeli” military chief Halevi flew to Britain to meet military chiefs from a number of countries - amid speculation that the International Criminal Court [ICC] could issue an arrest warrant for him over war crimes in Gaza.

This Wednesday, the Labour government confirmed in response to a question by Scottish National Party MP Law that Halevi was given special mission immunity, a status that provides foreign officials with protection from criminal proceedings and arrest.

Halevi was previously reported to have been included in the International Criminal Court's arrest applications, alongside “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant.

No arrest warrant for the military chief has been made public, but “Israeli” media has reported that the “Israeli” government fears an arrest warrant could be issued unannounced for Halevi, following the warrants already issued.

Halevi oversaw a drone attack in central Gaza in April that killed seven aid workers of the World Central Kitchen, including three British nationals.

Earlier this week in response to a question by Baroness Natalie Bennett in the House of Lords, Defense Minister Lord Vernon Coaker confirmed that Halevi was hosted by Britain's chief of the defense staff, at a meeting attended by the foreign office's director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Lord Coaker further said that Halevi attended a separate meeting with Lord Richard Hermer KC, Britain's attorney general.