https://www.declassifieduk.org/israeli-air-force-chief-given-special-immunity-to-visit-britain

Exclusive: Israeli air force commander Tomer Bar received a “special mission” certificate for his secret trip to the UK, protecting him from arrest for war crimes.

The UK government has admitted that Israel’s air force chief Tomer Bar was given special diplomatic immunity to visit Britain earlier this summer.

The revelation comes as Israeli president Isaac Herzog is about to visit Britain, with campaigners planning protests to greet him.

Major General Bar travelled to Oxfordshire in July to attend the Royal International Air Tattoo event at RAF Fairford.

The trip was organised in secrecy, but news of Bar’s arrival in Britain was reported in the Israeli press shortly before his arrival.

When asked if Bar was attending the airshow, Britain’s Ministry of Defence initially told Declassified: “Israel remains a key partner”.

The spokesperson added: “The Royal International Air Tattoo is a world-leading airshow and we routinely host a large number of dignitaries from across the globe”.

The Foreign Office has now confirmed that Bar visited Britain and was given “special mission” diplomatic immunity for the duration of his trip.

Special mission certificates are used to protect foreign officials from arrest under universal jurisdiction legislation, which allows for the most serious crimes to be prosecuted regardless of where they are committed.

The Foreign Office said Bar “would have had bilateral engagements with UK ministers and officials during [his] visit, pertinent to the individual bilateral relationship”.

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