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ISRAEL has urged Britain to change a universal jurisdiction law allowing for the prosecution of Israeli leaders in the UK for alleged war crimes.

The extraordinary call came as the Israeli foreign ministry confirmed that a London court had issued an arrest warrant against former foreign minister Tzipi Livni on the grounds that she was responsible for alleged war crimes during Israel’s deva

stating Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last winter.

The ministry said the warrant was later cancelled after officials learned that Ms Livni, leader of the opposition Kadima party, had decided not to travel to Britain as she had originally planned.

Lawyers working with Palestinian activists are increasingly targeting senior Israeli civilian and military figures by seeking their arrest in Britain under the principle of “universal jurisdiction”. This holds that alleged war criminals can be arrested and charged anywhere.

An Israeli official said the Jewish state’s concerns about universal jurisdiction had been raised with Downing Street by both Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert when they were prime minister, and that current incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu has also discussed the matter with Gordon Brown.

The officials said Israel was “disappointed this has not been remedied”. Israeli information minister Yuli Edelstein said: “By a very small change of legislation, the issue could be at least controlled if not totally wiped off the map. It is high time the British parliament does something about it. It definitely hurts relations.”

An Israeli foreign ministry statement warned Britain would be unable to “fulfil an active role in the peace process” if Israeli leaders are not able to visit the UK in a “fitting and dignified” manner.

Yehuda Blum, Israel’s former ambassador to the United Nations, said: “Why not use this law against Vladimir Putin over Russia’s role in Chechnya? There is no end to it. This has caused great consternation and dismay.”

However, Iyad Sarraj, director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Centre, praised the issuing of the warrant against Ms Livni.

“It gives me more confidence that British justice can uphold human rights. Chasing people suspected of war crimes is a universal commitment.”

Ms Livni is popular with western leaders because she is a leading proponent of a negotiated two-state solution with the Palestinians. But she was stridently hawkish during the war, which is seen by the vast majority of Israelis as having been a justified response to Hamas rocket fire.

Ms Livni supported the operation’s launch and then its escalation through a ground operation. More than two weeks into the war, she said Israel was deliberately “going wild” in its use of military force in order to restore its deterrent capability. “We have to prove to Hamas we have changed the equation,” she said. “Israel is not a country upon which you fire missiles and it does not respond.”

The conflict left 1,387 Palestinians dead, 773 of them civilians. Four Israelis were killed by rocket fire, as well as nine soldiers in Gaza, four from friendly fire.

Ms Livni was unmoved by news of the warrant. “I would take all the (same] decisions again, one by one,” she said.

But Zahava Galon, a former MP from the liberal Meretz party, said the arrest warrant “should be a red light for decision-makers. Before they embark on military adventures, they should know what the consequences may be at the international level and that they may pay themselves”.

The move against Ms Livni comes two months after a lawyer attempted to have a warrant issued against defence minister Ehud Barak as he visited Britain. The bid was unsuccessful, as Mr Barak had diplomatic immunity.

In October, Israeli deputy prime minister Moshe Yaalon cancelled a planned visit to Britain out of concern of being arrested on a possible war crimes charge.