CANADA’S RCMP URGED TO ARREST FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER IN TORONTO

Quick Overview

Canadian International Human Rights lawyer Henry Off confirmed that the Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) filed an urgent request with the RCMP and the Department of Justice to investigate and issue arrest warrants for former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Justice Minister Zippi Livni for their alleged involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 2008-2009 Gaza War, citing evidence from the Goldstone Report and the principle of universal jurisdiction.

Key Points: CLAIHR filed an urgent request for the RCMP and Department of Justice to investigate and issue arrest warrants for former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and former Justice Minister Zippi Livni. The request concerns alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 2008-2009 Gaza War, based on a 24-page report detailing specific incidents. The lawyer, Henry Off, cites the Goldstone Report and the principle of universal jurisdiction as grounds for the requested investigation and potential arrest. The report details multiple incidents, including the use of white phosphorus and deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian buildings. Canada has an obligation under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to seek out and prosecute alleged war criminals whose presence is known in Canada. Canada has used this jurisdiction twice previously in criminal cases against individuals suspected of war crimes. Ehud Olmert cancelled a planned speaking engagement in Brussels in 2017 after the UK issued an arrest warrant against him.

Context: The video features an interview between Samira Mohyeddin and Henry Off, a Canadian International Human Rights lawyer at The Hague. The discussion centers on an urgent request filed by Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR) urging Canadian authorities to investigate and arrest former Israeli leaders Ehud Olmert and Zippi Livni when they enter Canadian territory, based on allegations of crimes committed during the 2008-2009 Gaza War.