Israeli foreign minister planned to cut London trip short before UK blocked arrest attempt

The Israeli foreign minister planned to cut short his secret trip to London this week after it was exposed, but changed his mind when the British government blocked an attempt to secure an arrest warrant for him, sources told Middle East Eye.

A UK-based legal group that sought the warrant for Gideon Saar has meanwhile disputed the government's assertion that the foreign minister had "immunity".

The attorney general's office confirmed to MEE on Thursday that it had blocked an arrest warrant request by legal groups.

Saar's office said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy had informed his Israeli counterpart of the decision.

Middle East Eye revealed on Tuesday that Saar was making a secret trip to the UK this week, later that day reporting that he had met Lammy in London.

Read more: Israeli foreign minister planned to cut London trip short before UK blocked arrest attempt