UK ready to 'alter legal system to appease Israel'

Hezbollah's leader Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah says the UK is prepared to introduce reforms to its legal system to appease Israel.

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday criticized the British government's decision to reverse an arrest warrant for former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

"Britain who claims to have the world's oldest democratic system has expressed readiness to make changes to its legal system to avoid issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials over committing war crimes," Nasrallah said.

A British court recently issued an arrest warrant for Livni over links to Israeli war crimes against Palestinians during its December 2008 - January 2009 offensive which left over 1,400 Palestinians dead in the Gaza Strip.

Livni canceled her participation in a meeting in London after the verdict was issued.

The arrest warrant sparked furor among Israeli officials who warned the UK of strained relations.

"Israel calls on the British government to fulfill, once and for all, its promises and prevent an abuse of the British legal system against Israel and its citizens by anti-Israel elements," a statement by the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

"The lack of determined and immediate action to correct this distortion harms the relations between the two countries," it added.

In response, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband expressed regret over the verdict and vowed to alter the law so that judges could no longer issue arrest warrants against Israeli officials or military officers.

Several Israeli officials have canceled visits to Britain because of similar arrest warrants issued after the Gaza war.