Israelis Facing Hundreds of War Crimes Cases?

Israeli officials respond to unconfirmed reports that almost 1,000 war crimes suits have been filed against ministers and military officers.

Israeli officials were taken aback by reports that there are almost 1,000 war crimes lawsuits against Israeli military officers and ministers outstanding around the world.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was reported as estimating that there were 964 international lawsuits outstanding against Israeli citizens around the world.

Israeli officials were mum when asked about Lieberman's reference to almost 1,000 outstanding cases.

"I'm not sure we even have a number and I don't know where they get this from," Yigal Palmor, a spokesperson for Israel's Foreign Ministry told The Media Line. "Minister Lieberman generally gives radio interviews. Perhaps the interviewer mentioned a number and then it was attributed to the minister, but we don't have a number like this."

Lieberman's office could not confirm that the minister had made reference to an exact number, but acknowledged that he may have made an estimate while speaking with the press.

Both Israel's Justice and Foreign Ministries refused to comment or provide the number of such cases Israelis are known to be facing.

"There are a few subjects that we don't speak about," said a Justice Ministry official on the condition of anonymity. "This is one of them."

"There are many different departments dealing with this: the Justice Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Ministers Office and the Israeli Defense Forces," the official added. "But the chance that you'll get any of them to talk about it is very slim."

Israel has been struggling for weeks to come to grips with the potential legal consequences of a UN report calling for the Jewish state to be dragged before the International Criminal Court and for the country's military leaders to face international prosecution for war crimes.

The 575 page report on Richard Goldstone's investigation into the Gaza war, released by the UN Human Rights Council last month, called on Israel to launch "genuine, impartial and independent" investigations into possible war crimes. Should Israel fail to do so, Goldstone recommended that Israel face the International Criminal Court and that individual countries use "universal jurisdiction" to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes.

Israelis traveling without diplomatic protection face the threat of arrest in a number of countries that allow universal jurisdiction, in which a case can be filed against the citizen of a foreign country for war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak avoided arrest on a visit to the UK late last month after a court ruled he had diplomatic immunity. A week later Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon then cancelled a trip to the UK.