Abdel Raouf Arnaout
03 September 2019•Update: 03 September 2019
JERUSALEM
Israel seeks to halt a Swiss legislation that allows the arrest of Israeli politicians and military officers over charges of committing "war crimes" against Palestinians, the Israeli broadcasting corporation said on Tuesday.
Israel's Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz headed to Switzerland on Monday to discuss the legislation and the cases of arrests, it said.
The visit aims to "find a rapid solution for the Swiss legislation that allows the arrest of Israeli politicians and military officers in which cases and complaints were filed against them over accusations and charges of committing war crimes against Palestinians," it added.
This July, Ehud Olmert, Israel's former prime minister, cancelled his visit to Switzerland for fear of arrest on charges of committing war crimes against Palestinians.
He was informed that the Swiss local authorities intended to arrest him following judicial proceedings against him for accusation of committing war crimes during the 2008 "Cast Lead", the Israeli military operation against Palestinians in Gaza, it said.
The Israeli military operations of 2008 led to the death of more than 1,400 Palestinians and left thousands injured along with mass destruction in Gaza.
Over the past years, Palestinians and lawyers were active in filing complaints to the courts of western countries against Israeli officials accusing them of committing war crimes against Palestinians during their military operations.
*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara
