A petition signed by 80,000 people called for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits Britain in September, Russia Today reported on Wednesday.

If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures it could force a debate in parliament.

The petition holds Netanyahu responsible for the deaths of more than 2,000 Palestinians during the 51-day Israeli assault on Gaza in July and August 2014.

In a statement, the UK government said: “Under UK and international law, visiting heads of foreign governments, such as Prime Minister Netanyahu, have immunity from legal process, and cannot be arrested or detained.”

The petition’s author, Damian Moran, said he “doesn’t expect him [Netanyahu] to get arrested because of the universal jurisdiction laws.”

He added, however, that the number of signatures sent “a clear message to him that there’s a massive amount of people who don’t want him here.”
Source: MENA