Prime Minister Gordon Brown drags his feet. Israeli leaders still face threat of arrest in London because of British Muslims pressure on the UK Government.
Downing Street sources said Justice Secretary Jack Straw is still dragging his feet over the issue. Straw is known to be highly sensitive to the views of his Muslim constituents in Blackburn and is close to the Muslim Council of Britain, which opposes a change to the law.
Shadow Middle East minister David Lidington said:
«It is very clear to me that this issue is doing serious damage to relations with Israel. This needs to be resolved. If we hope to play a part in the Middle East peace process, senior Israelis need to know they can travel freely in the UK».
Legislation to prevent magistrates issuing arrest warrants for high-profile foreign visitors accused of war crimes has been delayed because it is still awaiting a decision from Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband announced his intention to change the law on «universal jurisdiction» late last year, but according to a highly placed source, the Justice Secretary is «pulling every trick in the book» to frustrate moves to deal with it.
The source said:
«Every time a deal seems close to being done, Jack finds another «obstacle». He is the block. Without him this would have been dealt with weeks ago»
Source: Jewish Chronicle-UK.
My comment:
To get the UK Government to understand the seriousness of locking Israeli leaders out of Britain, the Attorney General of Israel should file a case against Tony Blair in Jerusalem. There are enough war crimes accusations against Blair to arrest him. Innocent people lost their life when Blair failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
This move might make Mr. Blair and Mr. Brown understand that there are many World leaders that have to take not popular decisions in the ongoing war on Islamic terrorism. Not only Israelis.
To make the leaders of the Jewish state of Israel suffer the trouble of being single out as black sheep of the free and democratic World is a shame. Shame on the Government of United Kingdom.
ivarfjeld.com 
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