Israeli Vice Prime Minister, Moshe Ya’alon, had to cancel a trip to Europe due to fears that he would be apprehended for committing war crimes against the Palestinians during his service as the Israeli Army Chief of Staff. He said that he is willing to skip trips to Europe to ensure that the Israeli Army has the freedom to act.
In 2002, Ya’alon ordered the assassination of Salaah Shihada, one of the leaders of Hamas’ armed wing. The army shelled the residential building where Shihada lived and killed fourteen civilians, including children.
Ya’alon was recently planning to travel to Britain, but had to cancel the trip, and said that cancelling the trip is not a “big loss”, Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported.
Attorney Daniel Makover, one of the lawyers filing lawsuits against Israeli leaders for committing war crimes against the Palestinians, called for the arrest of Ya’alon the moment he lands in any European country.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry is now acting in order to convince European countries not to allow lawsuits against its officials.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, Daniel Ayalon, plans to visit London soon, and the Israeli Embassy plans to increase his security detail during his visit.
