Reporter tries to place Lieberman under citizens arrest

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Et si on débaptisait la « Rue de la Loi » à Bruxelles, principale artère ou sont concentrées la plupart des Directions Générales de la Commission et au bout de laquelle trône, entouré de ses courtisans perruqués et obséquieux, le Parlement européen ?

Le Comité de rédaction

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Published 23:22 22.02.11
Latest update 23:22 22.02.11

The reporter accused the foreign minister of ’apartheid’ before he was dragged away from the meeting with EU ministers in Brussels.

By Haaretz Service

Foreign Minster Avigdor Lieberman was challenged by a reporter during his visit to the European Council, when the man told Lieberman that he was under citizens’ arrest and demanded that Lieberman accompany him to the nearest police station.

David Cronin, a freelance reporter and author of the book « Europe’s Alliance with Israel : Aiding the Occupation » was tackled by security officials only seconds after he began to address Lieberman and physically escorted from the room.

As Lieberman entered a press conference, Cronin stood up and declared, « Mr. Lieberman, this is a citizens’ arrest. You are charged with the crime of apartheid. Please come with me to the nearest police station. » As he was dragged away, he shouted, « Free Palestine ! Free Palestine ! Apartheid is a crime ! »

This was not the first time that Cronin has tried to carry out a citizens’ arrest of a high-ranked public official. Last year he tried to single-handedly arrest former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for what he said were crimes against the people of Iraq.

A member of the Israeli delegation to the European Union said, « This was entirely uncivilized, in bad taste. But Israel, like the EU, is very supportive of free speech. It’s just a shame that some people take advantage of that freedom sometimes, » according to the European Union Observer.

FM Avigdor Lieberman and his Hungarian counterpart Janos Martonyi attend a media briefing at an EU-Israel Association Council in Brussels, February 21, 2011.

Foreign Minister Lieberman is in Brussels for the annual meeting of the decade-old EU-Israel Association Council. Earlier on Tuesday, Hungary’s foreign minister Janos Martonyi, whose country currently chairs the EU, told Lieberman that growing instability in the Middle East makes it imperative to immediately resume the stalled peace process with the Palestinians.

Source : Information Clearing House