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Peres Blasts Danmark's Threat to Arrest Israeli Ambassador-Designate
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres Wednesday denounced as "character assassination" Denmark's attempts to arrest former Israeli General Security Service (or Shin Bet) chief Karmi Gillon if he comes to Denmark to assume the ambassadorship.
Israel Radio Wednesday quoted Danish Justice Minister Frank Jensen as saying that Denmark must arrest Gillon because the country is committed to the Geneva Conventions, under which persons responsible for torturing prisoners must be arrested.
In response to the radio report, Peres said the "foolish" policy would also compel the Danes to bar entry to nearly all Palestinian officials who are members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Gillon was the head of the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency, which was also responsible for guarding the nation's leaders, at a time when then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995. He later headed the Peres Center for Peace founded by Peres.
Peres dismissed doubts that the appointment would cause damage to Israel, saying that "Israel must also defend its honor and its stature, and I will not go along with character assassination."
He also rejected suggestions that Israel would react to Denmark's move by taking action against the Danish ambassador in Tel Aviv. "You don't answer foolishness with foolishness," he said.
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