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Last update - 14:52 12/10/2009
U.K. court defers Palestinian bid to arrest Ehud Barak
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Gaza, Israel News, Barak 

A United Kingdom court on Tuesday deferred until further notice an appeal by local pro-Palestinian groups to issue an arrest warrant against visiting Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

It is not yet clear whether the issue will be raised for deliberation while Israel's top defense official is still in Britain.

According to sources close to Barak, the British Foreign Ministry recommended to the London court that it treat the current appeal in the same manner it did when a similar appeal was issued in 2004 against Israel's then defense minister, Shaul Mofaz.
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At the time, Mofaz was granted immunity from international arrest and trial - a precedent set by the British court, which until then had given such protection only to foreign ministers or premiers.

Barak's associates said it was too soon to tell whether the court would accept the British Foreign Ministry's request for immunity. Meanwhile, Israel has set out on a diplomatic mission to protect the defense minister before the court can reach its decision.


A group of Palestinians in Britain sought earlier Tuesday to obtain the warrant for Barak as he visited the United Kingdom for talks with senior officials.

The Palestinian group made the request at the Westminster Magistrates Court, the British paper The Daily Telegraph reported, regarding alleged war crimes perpetrated by Israel during its winter offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

Barak's bureau relayed in response to the move that the defense minister did not intend to change his plans.


"No arrest warrant has been issued, and in any event, he has immunity due to his being a minister in the government," the bureau said in a statement. "Therefore, his program will continue without disturbance."

Barak was due to speak at Britain's Labour party's annual conference on Tuesday, at a fringe event for the Labour Friends of Israel lobby. He was also set to meet with Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and foreign secretary, David Miliband, during the trip.

The appeal to arrest the defense minister comes as Richard Goldstone, the author of a United Nations report on Israel's Gaza offensive, told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday that the lack of accountability for war crimes committed in the Middle East is undermining any hope for peace in the region.

In June, Spain's National Court decided to shelve an investigation launched by one of its judges into a July 2002 air strike by the Israel Defense Forces on a Hamas target in the Gaza Strip.

The suspects named by Spanish Judge Fernando Andreu at the time included former defense minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and six current or former IDF officers or security officials.

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      1.   "STARVING"Palestinians have money for nuisance suits 13:54  |  PETER SM 29/09/09
      2.   Ministerial immunity? 14:05  |  r cummings 29/09/09
      3.   He should be on trial for war crimes 14:07  |  Miggy 29/09/09
      4.   UK should arrest the Islamist-Jihadists 14:12  |  Brod 29/09/09
      5.   Rank hypocrisy 14:13  |  Mike B 29/09/09
      6.   The Paiestinians should clean up their own homes first. 14:15  |  Murray of Montreal 29/09/09
      7.   Miggy of Ireland 14:22  |  ottomatik 29/09/09
      8.   Hope they successed and Barak rots in jail with other murderers 14:28  |  Ezra 29/09/09
      9.   Brod 14:33  |  proud american 29/09/09
      10.   beware Europe 14:38  |  BTR 29/09/09
      11.   Bored Arabs seek warrant 14:41  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 29/09/09
      12.   I would advise that he pack a large suitcase 14:41  |  Ola 29/09/09
      13.   #7 ottamik to miggy 14:52  |  Labhras 29/09/09
      14.   Palestinians seek arrest warrant of Barak. 14:53  |  David Nigel Braham 29/09/09
      15.   With all those jihadists in british prisons---would 14:53  |  Labhras 29/09/09
      16.   Arrest British COS,presently visiting Israel 15:35  |  Absolute Sweden 29/09/09
      17.   The Paiestinians should clean up their own homes first 15:47  |  jake 1948 29/09/09
      18.   David Nigel Braham, Gaza is still occupied, always has been... 16:03  |  BBSNews 29/09/09
      19.   Who Really Committed War Crimes in Gaza 16:26  |  Mark Bernadiner 29/09/09
      20.   Bar Goldstone from Israel for life 16:31  |  Zionist 29/09/09
      21.   BBS Occupied by whom ? Egypt? Hamas is the government 16:40  |  PETER SM 29/09/09
      22.   All palestinains and pakistanis should be indicted 17:03  |  charro 29/09/09
      23.   The Goldstone report is a farce & full of inaccuracies 17:04  |  zionist forever 29/09/09
      24.   proud,terrorist sympathizer,american 17:13  |  akiva patysh 29/09/09
      25.   #12 more ignorance as usual from ola 17:23  |  vhardman 29/09/09
      26.   Re#1 17:26  |  Joe 29/09/09
      27.   What took them so long to go after war criminal? 17:41  |  Secular 29/09/09
      28.   This is rich! 17:53  |  Rory 29/09/09
      29.   Expectations of Tribal Minds 17:56  |  moll 29/09/09
      30.   IDF & settlers murder Arabs with impunity....for now 17:56  |  american saint 29/09/09
      31.   "Palestinians in the UK" 17:56  |  C18 29/09/09
      32.   Arrest warrants 17:59  |  Rigoletto 29/09/09
      33.   Where arrest warrants are truly required 18:00  |  A TRUE American 29/09/09
      34.   Will each country arrest other foreign reps for their war crimes? 18:00  |  just wondering 29/09/09
      35.   # 10 BTR- Beware Europe 18:00  |  a.s. 29/09/09
      36.   Labhras to #13 18:01  |  Darwin 29/09/09
      37.   #20 Zionist---no need old bean. 18:01  |  Labhras 29/09/09
      38.   What a travesty against justice ind international law !! 18:07  |  palestinian 29/09/09
      39.   David,you miss the point!! 18:13  |  Tony 29/09/09
      40.   Terrorist 18:22  |  John 29/09/09
      41.   Closer To Setting A Precedent 18:25  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/09/09
      42.   simple. 18:29  |  Hirz 29/09/09
      43.   #18 BBSNews 18:34  |  Df 29/09/09
      44.   Zionist On Banning 18:39  |  Yaakov Sulliovan 29/09/09
      45.   B,S,News (#18). What part in the movie do you play... 18:42  |  flyingdoc57 29/09/09
      46.   Britain should be warned 18:47  |  Brod 29/09/09
      47.   Ottomatik 18:51  |  White Russian 29/09/09
      48.   BBSNEWS # 18. 18:55  |  David Nigel Braham 29/09/09
      49.   Uk Gov just protecting Blair et al british war criminals 18:59  |  Labhras 29/09/09
      50.   Barak luckier than Polanski 19:02  |  Marc Amelot 29/09/09
      51.   Mr. Barak should stay home 19:15  |  Mark Lincoln 29/09/09
      52.   Chaim Ben Kahan - they kill htem instead 19:21  |  Don Boston 29/09/09
      53.   BBSNews....boring, 19:29  |  rich 29/09/09
      54.   labhras 19:32  |  eagles fan forever 29/09/09
      55.   ola 19:35  |  Connie 29/09/09
      56.   The sun set on the British Empire long ago 19:41  |  allang 29/09/09
      57.   Peter SM, obviously you have no clue as to the court system 19:50  |  Palestinian Prince 29/09/09
      58.   #8 - Rot in Jail 19:54  |  Daniel A 29/09/09
      59.   Barak`s arrest: For crimes against his own ! 19:56  |  Josiah J. Ben David 29/09/09
      60.   Pals Who Voted For Hamas 20:18  |  Brazen 29/09/09
      61.   Will each country arrest other foreign reps for their war crimes? 20:38  |  just wondering 29/09/09
      62.   War Crimes-For What??? 20:39  |  callingitasiseeit 29/09/09
      63.   Barak guilty of a war crime: not finishing off Hamas completely. 20:46  |  just an observation 29/09/09
      64.   Just look at that picture of Ehud Barak 20:47  |  David James Vickery 29/09/09
      65.   A lot of people on this thread think Barak has done 20:51  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/09/09
      66.   #3 20:57  |  Harold 29/09/09
      67.   BROD!! 21:09  |  Ice 29/09/09
      68.   U.K. defers bis No 10 BRT 21:18  |  LW 29/09/09
      69.   dream after dream ensues and still they dream 21:23  |  harzion 29/09/09
      70.   Ice 21:24  |  Malone 29/09/09
      71.   chris linthwaite " a lot of people on this thread think" 21:26  |  harzion 29/09/09
      72.   victimised israelis have nukes and.... 21:28  |  nevermind 29/09/09
      73.   dont you just love the irish? 21:29  |  harzion 29/09/09
      74.   David Nigel Braman 21:31  |  Marcos 29/09/09
      75.   #23 eagles fan forever---stay out of it. 21:49  |  ottamik 29/09/09
      76.   Anyone else read the Goldstone Report? 21:54  |  Mark Lincoln 29/09/09
      77.   Once again Britain aids and abets Israeli war criminals 21:59  |  peacelover 29/09/09
      78.   No. 39 Chris Linthwaite 22:06  |  Henry Blofeld 29/09/09
      79.   RE: The sun set on the British Empire long ago 22:19  |  Ian 29/09/09
      80.   #39 Linthwaite - a Lot people on this thread 22:23  |  *BEN JABO 29/09/09
      81.   Shit we were planning gail house visit 22:23  |  Lefkovitz@Hershkovit 29/09/09
      82.   DADDY SHOULD BE ARRESTED 22:32  |  TOBIA 29/09/09
      83.   Who is defining "war crimes"? 22:35  |  StevieT 29/09/09
      84.   PAL PRINCE So who pays if the client loses 22:36  |  PETER SM 29/09/09
      85.   #24 Marc Amelot; Warrant for Barak`s "war crimes and Roman 22:42  |  IAF Veteran 29/09/09
      86.   Brod 22:52  |  Wendy 29/09/09
      87.   #31 Palestinia Prince - I hate to advise 22:56  |  *BEN JABO 29/09/09
      88.   #38 David James Vickery 22:58  |  *BEN JABO 29/09/09
      89.   #40 David james Vickery; Your sick comment about Ehud Barak...... 23:30  |  Canadian Scientist 29/09/09
      90.   Jewish Rascists! 23:36  |  Howler 29/09/09
      91.   uk court 23:48  |  tommy 29/09/09
      92.   UK courts 23:54  |  tommy 29/09/09
      93.   The winds of change 00:11  |  Bazmann 30/09/09
      94.   The UN-Trifecta 00:33  |  Morris Valentine 30/09/09
      95.   David Nigel Braham, Israel holds Shalit`s fate... 00:49  |  BBSNews 30/09/09
      96.   who is safe? 00:51  |  Yaron 30/09/09
      97.   PEACELOVER IF you have criminal level evidence why not put up--? 00:54  |  PETER SM 30/09/09
      98.   Mark Lincoln --beg to differ on this one 00:57  |  Labhras 30/09/09
      99.   No good deed goes unpunished 00:57  |  bronxite10 30/09/09
      100.   war crimes 00:58  |  doubter 30/09/09
      101.   # 41 don`t you mean to say "IF" he`s victorious, chris? 01:05  |  eric 30/09/09
      102.   #49 harzion 01:11  |  Sarah 30/09/09
      103.   no wonder 01:20  |  oz 30/09/09
      104.   war crimes 01:30  |  Yaron 30/09/09
      105.   The British committed war crimes against the Jewish people 01:38  |  RfaelMoshe 30/09/09
      106.   What a Hoot 01:57  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/09/09
      107.   Shooting at a launch pad is a war crime??Hilarious! 02:11  |  Meo 30/09/09
      108.   Shame on Britain 02:14  |  wibism 30/09/09
      109.   #4 Broad : Anglo Saxon Invaders of North America 02:23  |  Kishen 30/09/09
      110.   To *Ben Jabo #55 `a lot of people...` 02:29  |  Colin Wright 30/09/09
      111.   It`ll blow over. 03:09  |  Jewchai 30/09/09
      112.   More goofiness ...... 03:43  |  Lynn 30/09/09
      113.   #21 Occupation is not about "functions of govt", PETER SM 03:57  |  Johnboy 30/09/09
      114.   #55 BEN JABO, you`re kidding, right? 04:11  |  Johnboy 30/09/09
      115.   Miggy 3 05:38  |  Sabra 30/09/09
      116.   Arabs exploit loophole in British law 06:05  |  PETER SM 30/09/09
      117.   He didn`t dodge arrest,Barak just ignored them,with the contempt 06:22  |  BNP 30/09/09
      118.   Gordon Brown will make sure this thing stays out of courts 06:38  |  zionist forever 30/09/09
      119.   Jake 1948 06:56  |  utagawa 30/09/09
      120.   Brazen 07:06  |  utagawa 30/09/09
      121.   Ian of the Empire 07:11  |  utagawa 30/09/09
      122.   #69 Sarah---another bigot who cannot address 07:21  |  Labhras 30/09/09
      123.   #77 It`s not a loophole, PETER SM 09:08  |  Johnboy 30/09/09
      124.   MI6 are under investigation for torture of Guantanamo detainees. 09:13  |  Maureen Ann 30/09/09
      125.   wibism 09:28  |  Sarah 30/09/09
      126.   Haaretz 09:51  |  Michelle 30/09/09
      127.   Don Boston 10:03  |  Michelle 30/09/09
      128.   palestine prince 10:09  |  Michelle 30/09/09
      129.   callingitasiseeit -- bigotry is alive and well in Toronto I see 10:12  |  CJ 30/09/09
      130.   Ehud Barak God bless you!!! 10:18  |  Michelle 30/09/09
      131.   The UK has a duty even if crimes are only alleged 10:22  |  CJ 30/09/09
      132.   utagawa 12:10  |  jake 1948 30/09/09
      133.   Barak and other Israeli war crimes 12:28  |  David W. Deitch 30/09/09
      134.   Spot on Michelle 12:36  |  Jamie 30/09/09
      135.   #133 David Deitch(Jewish name) 14:08  |  Sarah 30/09/09
      136.   Posts 16:00  |  Shir 30/09/09
      137.   Abbas should be arrested for ordering Munich massacre in 72 16:15  |  Ken Jurist 30/09/09
      138.   Brilliant post by #105 16:19  |  David Stoler 30/09/09
      139.   #133 David Deitch - You`re too obvious 20:17  |  *BEN JABO 30/09/09
      140.   Jewish lobby at work 21:17  |  Tony Silver 30/09/09
      141.   Justice 01:20  |  David Reuben 01/10/09
      142.   JOHNBOY the loophole is how ACCUSATION is accepted & acted on 03:40  |  PETER SM 01/10/09
      143.   #138 Tony Silver - I also blame Barak 04:29  |  *BEN JABO 01/10/09
      144.   Johnboy - Just to let you know #55 isn`t mine 04:39  |  *BEN JABO 01/10/09
      145.   #142 That`s such a hoot, PETER SM!!! 15:32  |  Johnboy 02/10/09
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