Israeli journalist Yair Lapid has criticised the Kadima party as “a bunch of cynical politicians”.

Mr Lapid, who announced that he was planning to run for the Knesset at the next election, said there was no way he would join the centrist party, which is led by Tzipi Livni.

Israeli Opposition leader Tzipi Livni has visited Britain – but although her trip was billed as showcasing the change to the law on universal jurisdiction, it was in fact protected by an altogether different legal status.

Ms Livni met Foreign Secretary William Hague, at his invitation, at the Foreign Office in London last Thursday.

She was the first senior Israeli to visit Britain since th

Foreign Secretary William Hague has stepped in to ensure Israeli Opposition leader Tzipi Livni will not be arrested during her visit to Britain.

An arrest application was made to the Crown Prosecution Service on Tuesday to have Ms Livni detained when she arrived in London. She is currently on a two-day visit during which she is meeting community leaders and politicians.

Israel's Opposition leader has met the Foreign Secretary in London.

Tzipi Livni, in Britain for the first time since an anti-Israel group used the old universal jurisdiction legislation to apply for a war crimes arrest warrant for her, was at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office this morning for the meeting.

Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni is to visit Britain for the first time since she was prevented from doing so by pro-Palestinian activists nearly two years ago.

Ms Livni, the leader of the Kadima Party, has been invited by Foreign Secretary William Hague and is set to arrive on Wednesday.

The British government has approved the change in this country's universal jurisdiction law.

Nearly two years after Israeli Opposition leader Tzipi Livni was forced to cancel a trip to the UK when pro-Palestinian activists applied for a warrant for her arrest, the change was given the Royal Assent and became law.

The Guardian has admitted that it used a quote from Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni on the Palestine Papers in a “misleading” way.

The newspaper’s corrections and clarifications editor said Ms Livni's comment on the documents, released by Al-Jazeera last month, “was cut in a way that may have given a misleading impression”.

EXCLUSIVE: Israel's Opposition leader, Tzipi Livni, has made an unprecedented declaration of support for the call by Mick Davis, chairman of both the UJIA and the executive committee of the Jewish Leadership Council, for a role for the diaspora in discussing Israel's future.

Ms Livni, speaking to the JC, said: "As leaders, we in Israel must take into account the concerns of diaspora Jewry. Israel is strong enough to take criticism from within the family of Jews, who say, ok, we disapprove of Israeli policy, but we stand firm for Israel."

Israel’s voting system is prone to inconclusive outcomes – unsurprising in a country brimming with different opinions and outlooks.

The 2009 vote was already beset by controversy, called as it was after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was forced to step down because of a criminal investigation.

The Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, who took over from his as party leader after winning primary elections, but announced in October that she had been unable to form a coalition, prompting President Shimon Peres to call the election.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing the ground for a possible centrist coalition, if a resumption of talks with Palestinian Authority and an extension of the settlement freeze cause a major crisis within his government.

Another week has gone by without a decision by Mr Netanyahu on the future of the settlement freeze, now at the centre of Palestinian conditions for continuing direct peace talks.

A controversial bill requiring Israel’s non-Jewish citizens to swear loyalty to the "Jewish and democratic" state has been approved by the cabinet.

It was passed by 22 votes to eight and will now face a vote in Israel’s Knesset.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "The state of Israel is the national state of the Jewish people and is a democratic state in which all its citizens - Jews and non-Jews - enjoy full equal rights.

“Whoever wants to join us has to recognise us."

The Justice Secretary Jack Straw has postponed immediate legislation to stop Israeli ministers being threatened with “politically motivated” arrest warrants when they visit Britain, until after the general election.

The justice secretary’s remarks contravene the promise made by Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday.

Mr Brown proposed that the Crown Prosecution Service should take the responsibility for prosecuting for war crimes, after reading a leader comment in the JC showing him the strength of feeling over the issue within the Jewish community.

Senior Conservatives have assured opposition leader Tzipi Livni that a Tory government would change the law that allows magistrates to issue arrest warrants for foreign politicians accused of war crimes.

Shadow business secretary Ken Clarke and shadow attorney general Edward Garnier met her in Israel as part of a party charm offensive.

The Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, has denied that pressure from Muslim leaders is to blame for his lack of action on war crimes legislation.

Mr Straw has faced allegations that legislation needed to prevent magistrates issuing arrest warrants for Israeli politicians travelling to Britain, has been delayed because of pressure from the Muslim Council of Britain and from the sizeable Muslim population of Mr Straw’s Blackburn constituency.

A spokesman for Mr Straw said: "Suggestions have been made in media reports that Jack has been lobbied on this issue by Muslim leaders.

Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni is planning to come to London to test the process for the issuing of arrest warrants for alleged war crimes.

Speaking exclusively to the JC, Ms Livni said: “I will do this not for me, not for provocation, but for the right of every Israeli to travel freely. I am not going to be restricted by extremists because I fought terror.”

The British system was, she said, “being abused by extremists for political reasons. Belgium and Spain have changed their laws, and the British know that they have to do so”.

New legislation to stop magistrates granting arrest warrants for visiting politicians and military figures accused of war crimes will be announced next week, the JC can reveal.

The outcry from Israel over a warrant issued for opposition leader Tzipi Livni last month led the government to make a commitment to ensure prominent Israelis will in future be able to travel to the UK without fear of arrest.

Lawyers representing Palestinians in Gaza successfully applied for a warrant last month over Ms Livni’s involvement in authorising Operation Cast Lead.