War Crime Dispute Spain vs. Israel

Interesting news from Israel popped to my eyes few days ago. A Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad (National Union) has called for Israel to put former Spanish officials on trial for their role in the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. His official request was sent to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, in the wake of a Spanish court agreeing to try senior Israelis for recent Gaza operation. Although both cases – Spanish trial against Israel and International Court against Spain – probably end as curiosity to archives without any further implications they tell something about international criminal procedures.

The story started last week when Spain's High Court announced it would launch a war crimes investigation into a Israeli ex-defence minister and six other top security officials for their role in a 2002 attack that killed a Hamas commander and 14 civilians in Gaza. The Spanish government is said also considering to amend a law related to case. (Source Irishtimes)

The Spanish court agreed a month ago to hear the case for prosecution of former IAF commander Dan Halutz, former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, and five other senior Israeli officials for war crimes over their decision to assassinate Shehadeh while the Hamas leader was in a building in Gaza City. Sixteen other people people were killed in the Israeli airstrike, including Shehadeh's wife and child and other children. Israeli leaders called the Spanish court "delusional," however, pointing out that Shehadeh was a terrorist mastermind responsible for the deaths of up to 100 innocent people.

To: joan; Smartass; zagor-te-nej; Lion in Winter; Honorary Serb; jb6; Incorrigible; DTA; ma bell; ...

2 posted on 03/05/2009 2:35:40 AM PST by kronos77 (Kosovo is Serbian Jerusalem. No Serbia without Kosovo.)

3 posted on 03/05/2009 2:36:14 AM PST by gondramB (Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.)

Not really... See, Spain makes more noises about these trials in absentia... and all of a sudden, large numbers of Spanish politicians get kidnapped by Mossad to stand trial in Israel. Oops.

Spain may be thinking twice about it.

4 posted on 03/05/2009 2:41:12 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)

>>Not really... See, Spain makes more noises about these trials in absentia... and all of a sudden, large numbers of Spanish politicians get kidnapped by Mossad to stand trial in Israel. Oops.

Spain may be thinking twice about it.<<

I started to disagree - that it would just aggravate
Spain and make them more difficult but then I remembered how they chickened out in Iraq.

5 posted on 03/05/2009 2:49:01 AM PST by gondramB (Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.)

Bingo. Spain is populated by Southern Surrender Monkeys now.

Mossad kidnap operations would make them collapse in a hurry.

6 posted on 03/05/2009 3:02:10 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)

To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..

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What's good for the goose.

7 posted on 03/05/2009 5:33:28 AM PST by SJackson (a tax cut is non-targetedÂ…no guaranteeÂ…theyÂ’re free to invest anywhere that they want, J Kerry)

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