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British Consider Creating Veto for Arrest Warrants Aimed at Diplomats
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Creating an attorney general’s veto to override attempts to serve visiting diplomats with arrest warrants is one option being looked at as a way of diffusing the mounting diplomatic crisis between the U.K. and Israel. Palestinian groups are waging a campaign to charge Israelis who served in the army or held certain governmental posts during last January’s military incursion into the Gaza Strip with war crimes. Recently, Israel’s opposition leader Tzipi Livni, who served as foreign minister during that time, aborted a trip at the last moment when it was learned a case was being brought against her. That was followed by the cancellation of a trip by military officers who were scheduled to meet with their counterparts in the U.K., also because of fear that arrest warrants would be served. Britain’s attorney general is visiting in Israel this week and part of her discussions with Israeli leaders is aimed at assuring them that the Brown government takes the matter seriously and is seeking a solution.
UNIFIL Finds Bombs Planted Near Lebanon-Israel Border Members of the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon report finding a number of bombs planted near the border with the Israeli town of Metula. Described as sophisticated and well made, the weapons each contained about 660 pounds of explosives and are believed to have been set to kill Israeli soldiers entering Lebanese territory, presumably in pursuit of cross-border raiders from Hezbollah. The discovery was made by Spanish soldiers from the UNIFIL force, who, aided by night-vision equipment, noticed figures digging who then fled when the troops approached. UNIFIL has acknowledged the violation of Resolution 1701, but enforcement of the document has become more complicated since the new Lebanese government was formed. Hezbollah sits in the government and holds cabinet seats. The government recently voted to allow the terrorist group to retain its arms in outright violation of Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1701.
Mortar Barrage Hits Southern Israel At least seven mortar rounds fired from the Gaza Strip landed inside of Israel before noon on Thursday. No injuries or damage was reported. One shell exploded near the Kerem Shalom crossing point, causing Israeli authorities to close the facility which in turn prevented trucks loaded with supplies for Gaza residents from reaching their destinations. Responsibility for launching the mortar rounds was taken by the Popular Resistance Committees. Israeli leaders have declared a zero tolerance policy on such attacks and have promised that the Israeli army will respond to each one.
Officials See Ties Between Jet Plotter, Ft. Hood Killer, and Cleric Yemeni security officials have confirmed that radical Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki met with the Nigerian accused of trying to blow up an America passenger jetliner on Christmas day. Al-Awlaki was previously tied to the man who killed 13 people in a shooting spree at Ft. Hood, Texas, in November. American security officials want to know whether reports that Al-Awlaki was killed in an air strike on an Al-Qa’ida base are true, or whether he is alive and well as some of his friends insist.
7 Coptic Christians Dead in Egyptian Drive-by Shooting Gunmen in a passing car opened fire on worshipers leaving a Coptic Christian church in southern Egypt on Wednesday. Seven fatalities were reported at the scene. The incident took place about 40 miles from Luxor, in the town of Nag Hamadi – the same town where a Coptic man was accused of raping a Muslim girl in November. Authorities believe the attack is retaliation for the rape. Most of Egypt’s Christian population is Coptic, and accounts for only 10% of the population. Coptics often allege discrimination at the hands of the Islamic government.
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