Australian and Palestinian legal groups have called on the Australian Federal Police to investigate and arrest retired Israeli Major General Doron Almog, who is expected to travel with Israeli President Isaac Herzog during his visit to Australia. Almog, chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel, faces historical allegations of war crimes in Gaza in 2002, which he denies.
The submission, lodged by the Australian Centre for International Justice, Al Haq, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, and the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, alleges that under Almog's command as head of the Israeli military's Southern Command from 2000 to 2003, the military committed grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. These include the destruction of over 50 Palestinian homes and involvement in the al-Daraj bombing, which killed 14 civilians, mostly children.
Almog previously avoided arrest in the UK in 2005 after a warrant was issued for his arrest over the same allegations. He was tipped off and remained on an El Al plane at Heathrow. The warrant was later withdrawn. The AFP has referred the submission to its Special Investigations Command.
Rawan Arraf, executive director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, stated: 'He must be arrested. He must answer to the credible allegations made against him. This impunity that Israel and its leaders enjoy must end.' The Jewish Agency for Israel maintains that no international authority attributes any violation of the law to Almog.
