Following warrants against Israeli officials Brown vows to change U.K. law on war crimes charges

LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised yesterday to block private groups from launching war crimes prosecutions against visiting foreign officials. But it is far from clear how much bite his promise actually has.

Meanwhile, Israel's ambassador to Britain warned yesterday that former minister and Shin Bet security service chief Ami Ayalon could risk arrest on his scheduled visit to London next week.

Brown's statement was a long-awaited response to a controversy that has gone on for years, but was inflamed when an arrest warrant was issued for former foreign minister Tzipi Livni last fall. In a March 3 editorial in the daily Telegraph, Brown said Britain's principle of universal jurisdiction - which allows judges to issue warrants for nearly anyone accused of committing war crimes anywhere in the world - was being abused by groups "who set out only to grab headlines knowing their case has no realistic chance of a successful prosecution."

Without referring to Israel at all, Brown added, "Britain cannot afford to have its standing in the world compromised for the sake of tolerating such gestures."

Brown said he will propose that a government department, the Crown Prosecution Service, evaluate the merits of any case brought under international law.

But on careful inspection, both Brown's promise and a formal announcement by Justice Secretary Jack Straw yesterday appear empty. For it seems nothing is going to happen before elections here in May.

"Brown is doing this now in response to Israeli and American pressure," said Daniel Machover, who has served as a lawyer for several universal jurisdiction cases brought against Israelis, including those against Livni and Israel Defense Forces officer Doron Almog.

"Israel's pressure has been overt and sustained, and I am told calls have been coming in from the U.S. State Department as well," said Machover. He said he believes the decision is wrong, but noted that in any case, "nothing is going to happen at the speed that was promised to Israel."

At the Israeli embassy in London, Ambassador Ron Prosor tried to put a positive spin on the developments.

"The engine is finally being revved up," he said. "However, we are wary that this legislation could easily end up getting stuck in the crawler lane, or perhaps run out of fuel entirely, never to reach its destination. Hopefully, the coming weeks will see action materialize from intention."

But other Israeli political sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were disappointed by the prospect of further delay.

Prosor sent an urgent telegram to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem yesterday, warning that Palestinian groups may seek an arrest warrant against Ayalon for alleged involvement in war crimes during his tenure as Shin Bet chief.

Ayalon is due to leave for London on Sunday to attend a panel debate at the London School of Economics on the Goldstone report and the peace process.