80,000 sign UK petition for Netanyahu arrest
Almost 80,000 people had by Monday signed a
petition urging the arrest of Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes
when he visits London next month.
The petition was launched earlier this month by
British citizen Damian Moran and is posted on
the government’s website.
“Under international law he (Netanyahu) should
be arrested for war crimes upon arrival in the UK
for the massacre of over 2,000 civilians in 2014,”
Moran said, referring to the 51-day offensive by
Israeli forces in Gaza last year.
If the number of signatories reaches 100,000, the
petition can be considered for debate in Britain’s
parliament.
But Moran told media he doubted it would reach
the chamber given the close relationship
between Israel and Britain.
The British government was obliged to respond
after the document received 10,000 signatories,
saying that “visiting heads of foreign
governments, such as prime minister Netanyahu,
have immunity from legal process, and cannot be
arrested or detained”.
“We recognise that the conflict in Gaza last year
took a terrible toll,” it added.
“As the prime minister (David Cameron) said, we
were all deeply saddened by the violence and
the UK has been at the forefront of international
reconstruction efforts.
“However the prime minister was clear on the
UK’s recognition of Israel’s right to take
proportionate action to defend itself, within the
boundaries of international humanitarian law.”
Britain is pushing for a two-state solution to
resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and “will
reinforce this message to Mr Netanyahu during
his visit” in September, according to the
response.
Any British citizen can launch a petition on the
government’s website, asking for a specific
action from the government or parliament’s lower
House of Commons.
Only British citizens are meant to sign the
petitions, but need only enter a name, email
address and valid postcode.
Israel launched military action in the Hamas-
ruled Gaza Strip on July 8 last year, leading to
the deaths of more than 2,000 Palestinians and
66 Israeli soldiers.
Pro-Palestinian British lawyers unsuccessfully
tried to arrest former Israeli justice minister Tzipi
Livni following the 2008-2009 Gaza war.
Israel’s embassy in London called the latest
petition a “meaningless publicity stunt.”
PUNCH
