Attorney General faces Israeli anger over arrest warrants

Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General, has attempted to calm the storm provoked by the decision of a district judge in London to issue an arrest warrant against the former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.

The judge's decision at the end of last year that Livni should be arrested over the bombing of Gaza by Israel in 2008 led her to cancel a visit to London. Magistrates can issue a private warrant if persuaded there is prima facie evidence of an offence.

Following the incident, a group of Israeli army officers are reported to have cancelled a visit to London to discuss counter-insurgency measures for the same reason.

Baroness Scotland tackled questions on the issue yesterday during a press conference at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Israel's deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon is said to have told her earlier that day that it was impossible for the UK and Israel to have a 'normal relationship' if there was a threat of arrest warrants against senior Israeli figures.

Baroness Scotland said the UK government was making 'energetic efforts' to find a solution, but, according to the Jerusalem Post, ruled out the idea that all requests for arrest warrants should be approved by her in advance. Media reports in Britain have suggested that this is the government's preferred option.

Sally Ireland, director of criminal justice policy at JUSTICE, said UK laws on war crimes should be enforced fairly and not depend on the nationality of the suspect.

'If the government wishes to amend the law it should consult publicly on this issue in the UK before making announcements on its thinking abroad.'

A spokeswoman for the Attorney General said Baroness Scotland was invited to speak at the Hebrew University several months ago.

She added that the government was urgently looking at ways to avoid the Tzipi Livni situation arising in the future.