War crimes suit filed against former Israeli minister

Switzerland is examining a criminal complaint against former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, accused of war crimes by a pro-Palestinian group.

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is examining a criminal complaint against former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, accused of war crimes by a Geneva-based pro-Palestinian group, Swissinfo.ch reported Wednesday.

According to the Le Temps newspaper, Livni was named in a legal suit filed on Monday by the Geneva-based Urgence Palestine group in relation to her role in the IDF’s “Operation Cast Lead” in the Gaza Strip between December 2008 and January 2009. “Cast Lead” was launched to strike at Hamas terror infrastructure. Livni was foreign minister and acting prime minister at the time.

On May 28, Livni attended an event in the Swiss city of Lugano organized by the Swiss-Israel Association to celebrate Israel’s 69^th independence anniversary. She left Switzerland on Monday.

It is unclear what action the Attorney General’s office will take, especially if Livni plans to return to Switzerland.

Livni, a current Knesset Member (MK), has previously faced similar allegations abroad.

In January 2017, Livni cancelled a visit to Belgium over fears she may be arrested on her arrival in Brussels over war crime allegations. The Brussels prosecutor’s office said Livni was the subject of a 2010 complaint to the federal prosecutor, and authorities could detain or question her on arrival “to try and advance the investigation.”

In December 2009, she cancelled a trip to London after being informed that she was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a British court over her role in the same war.

Over the last few years, anti-Israel organizations have harassed Israeli officials and leaders by submitting war crimes complaints against them around the globe. So far, none of these complaints have come to fruition.

By: World Israel News Staff

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