Activists set to protest UK visit by Israel's Livni

A Britain-based human-rights groups have said they will protest a visit to Britain on Thursday by Israeli Justice minister Tzipi Livni, following a controversy over the legality of the trip.

Livni will be talking at an event called "Middle East Peace Process and the Two-State Solution" hosted by the Jewish National Fund. 

To prevent legal issues surrounding universal jurisdiction and alleged war crimes in Gaza, Livni has been granted “special mission” status by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

A spokesperson from the FCO told Middle East Eye: “Since the visit meets all the essential elements for a special mission, and for avoidance of any doubt on the matter, the FCO has confirmed consent to the visit as a Special Mission. This is in line with the Foreign Secretary’s WMS [written ministerial statement] to parliament on 4 March 2013.” 

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said in that parliament statement: "members of a special mission enjoy immunities, including immunity from criminal proceedings and inviolability of the person".

Livni has was involved in the orchestration of Operation Cast Lead, the war in Gaza in 2008-2009 during which over 1,400 Palestinians were killed. 

London lawyers Hickman and Rose, in tandem with the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) have sought to secure an arrest warrant for Livni's arrest, acting on behalf of a relative killed during the bombardment. The law firm has asked the Crown Prosecution Service to advise police to arrest Livni as a suspected war criminal.

Speaking to the Guardian, director of the PCHR Raji Sourani condemned the decision of the British government to grant immunity. "As the lawyers for the victims of widespread suspected Israeli war crimes, PCHR is very concerned that these kind of political acts endorse the 'rule of the jungle' rather than the 'rule of law'," he said."The stated policy of 'ending impunity for international crimes' can only be properly pursued if the rule of law and due process is allowed to prevail, rather than Britain giving a safe haven to suspected war criminals, even for a few hours."

Livni cancelled a visit to London in 2009 after an arrest warrant was issued by Westminster magistrates court. This led to a change in the law on universal jurisdication, so that citizens would have to have approval from the Director of Public Prosecutions before they could apply for an arrest warrant.

While visiting Israel in March, British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke of plans to make the UK a safe haven for Israeli politicians. "When I was in opposition, I spoke out when – because of the law on universal jurisdiction – senior Israelis could not safely come to my country without fear of ideologically motivated court cases and legal stunts,” he told the Knesset, “when I became prime minister, I legislated to change it. My country is open to you and you are welcome to visit any time."

The British Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has organised a demonstration outside the venue of the JNF meeting.

Sarah Colborne from the PSC criticised the government for giving Livni special mission status. “The government should be supporting international law and human rights,” she told Middle East Eye, “they should be bringing people who are responsible for the most heinous war crimes to justice. They should be fulfilling their requirements under universal jurisdiction.”

She said that the fact that the visit coincided with Nakba Day was unfortunate. "I have no idea what’s going through the JNF’s head,” she told MEE, “but from the point of view of anyone who supports human rights, peace and justice and opposes ethnic cleansing, it’s an incredibly insulting event to organise on the day when 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes and when the JNF was the main beneficiary of that expulsion.”