An Israeli military delegation has canceled a trip to Britain over fears of arrest on possible war crimes charges, national media reported Tuesday.
According to the Yediot Aharonoth daily, British authorities could not guarantee that officers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would not be arrested.
Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon said the situation could impair the relations between the two countries.
"This would undermine the good relations between the two countries who share common values and interests," he said.
Three weeks ago a British court issued an arrest warrant for former Israel Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni at the request of lawyers acting for Palestinian victims of Israel's war in Gaza.
The warrant was later withdrawn but it provoked a storm of protest in Israel.
Following the incident, British authorities said they would review the legal process so that the attorney general would first approve warrants before suspected war criminals could be arrested.
JERUSALEM, January 5
RIA Novosti
