Manama Two South African groups are seeking to secure an arrest warrant for former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni during her visit to South Africa next week, Channel 10 reported.

The Media Review Network and the Palestine Solidarity Alliance said that Livni, who is Kadima chairwoman,  was guilty of war crimes in Israel's three-week attacks on the Gaza Strip in the 2008 winter. She was the foreign minister then.

"We have now been informed that Livni has been invited to this country and have therefore instructed our legal team to take all necessary measures to secure an arrest warrant," MRN chief Iqbal Jassat was quoted as saying. "Our decision is based on the fact that South Africa is a signatory to the Rome statutes which obligates all member states to honour their responsibility in the prosecution of war criminals."

Israeli daily Haaretz said that  Livni was invited to South Africa by the local Jewish community to give a number of speeches and hold meetings in Cape Town and Johannesburg.