Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni appeared unfazed Tuesday by the arrest warrant issued against her by a British court. "I have no problem with the world wanting to judge Israel ,"she said. "A problem arises the moment IDF soldiers are compared to terrorists."
Speaking at an Institute for National Security Studies conference, Livni said that "the operation in Gaza was necessary. Operation Cast Lead achieved its goal, which was to restore Israel's deterrence ability, and managed to restore Israel's deterrence ability.
"Israel must do what is right for Israel, regardless of judgments, statements and arrest warrants. It's the leadership's duty, and I would repeat each and every decision."
The former foreign minister added, "I never accepted the condolences we would receive from the world that both sides are paying the price of war. It's true that the pain and grief of a Palestinian and Israeli family are the same thing, but the basic comparison between a terrorist and an IDF soldier is unacceptable."
She also said that she was proud of the achievements of Operation Cast Lead.
The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday released a first official response to reports that a British court has issued an arrest warrant against Livni. "We reject the court's cynical legal move against Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni, which was initiated by radical elements," the statement said.
Naama Lanir contributed to this report