Netanyahu will not be arrested – despite petition

A petition in the UK calling for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his planned September visit to Britain is gaining further momentum.

“Under worldwide law, he [Netanyahu] should be arrested for war crimes upon arrival in the United Kingdom for the massacre of over 2,000 civilians in 2014”, Moran claims on the post, in reference to Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014, Israel’s response to sustained Palestinian rocket fire and other offensives, including terror tunnels dug under the border with the Gaza Strip.

“The petition may have no impression upon the UK-Israel relationship which is stronger than ever and prime minister Netanyahu’s forthcoming go to will improve it additional”.

Only British citizens are meant to sign the petitions, but need only enter a name, email address and valid postcode.

Israeli TV Channel One reported the embassy saying in a statement: “According to British law, visiting heads of foreign governments, such as Prime Minister Netanyahu, have immunity from legal process, and can not be arrested or detained”.

However, if the petition reaches 100,000 signatures it could force a debate in parliament.

Now Alan Hart, London-based author, journalist and researcher says even if the British government feels the heat to arrest Netanyahu, it would forewarn him against traveling to the UK. “Mutual commerce has doubled over current years, whereas educational, scientific and cultural cooperation is consistently rising”.

The British government responded to the petition, backing away from the calls to arrest the Israeli leader.

“We have been all deeply saddened by the violence”, the observe reads, “Nevertheless the Prime Minister was clear on the UK’s recognition of Israel’s proper to take proportionate motion to defend itself, inside the boundaries of worldwide humanitarian regulation”.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee calculates 2,251 Gazans, mostly civilians, and 73 Israelis were killed in last year’s conflict.

Many lawmakers expressed their disgust with Israel’s actions, including former long-standing MP Sir Bob Russell, who told Sputnik in an interview earlier this year that he believed Netanyahu was a “war criminal”.