The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exposed war cabinet minister Benny Gantz to possible prosecution and arrest in Britain, reports surfaced on Thursday.
According to sources, Israel did not grant Gantz’s delegation official delegation status, meaning that Gantz was exposed to potential criminal charges and arrest abroad. Britain alone approached the Israeli embassy to complete the process.
Against the backdrop of the growing pro-Palestinian protests in Europe, Britain feared the status of the visit, and as a result, sought to grant Gantz’s delegation an official status, meaning Gantz would have special immunity from lawsuits and arrest warrants tied to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
According to reports by Channel 12, the British thought that after the war, Israel would want to give the senior minister security during his visit abroad, but they were not aware of the internal politics at play between Netanyahu and Gantz.
Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz arrives to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 5, 2024. (credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS)
Britain turned to the Israeli Foreign Ministry to prepare the designation letter for the official delegation. In the beginning, there was cooperation between the British and Israeli Foreign Ministry, but after a few hours, the ministry severed contact after having already received the details from Gantz’s office.
According to the report, the British were surprised and, not wanting to take a risk, turned to the British Embassy in Israel to complete the bureaucratic preparations.