Sharon 'war criminal' says mayor

Ken Livingstone wrote on article for the Guardian newspaper

London's mayor has reignited his row with some Jewish leaders by accusing the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of being a war criminal.

Israeli ambassador to London Zvi Heifetz said by making these comments Ken Livingstone had "launched a virulent attack against Israel".

The mayor also said Israel was involved in "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians.

This comes after Mr Livingstone refused to apologise to a reporter whom he likened to a concentration camp guard.

The Labour mayor came under attack after he was recorded on tape comparing an Evening Standard reporter to a Nazi guard.

In his article in Friday's Guardian, Mr Livingstone also accuses the Israelis of presenting a "wholly distorted picture of racism and religious discrimination in Europe" so that it appeared Jews, rather than Asians or blacks, suffered most discrimination.

Israeli ambassador to London Zvi Heifetz said the mayor was obviously trying to divert attention from recent criticism.

"The Mayor feels the need to emphasise that he's not an anti-Semite but only anti-Israeli.

"We trust the public to know better and to see what stands behind his strategy," Mr Heifetz said.