Spanish Judge to Pursue Crimes Against Humanity Charges Against Seven Israeli Officers

Middle East Online, February 27, 2009 - A Spanish judge has decided to go ahead with a probe into alleged crimes against humanity [from July 2002] by top Israeli military figures after studying documents received from Israel, judicial sources said Friday. The documents, received by Judge Fernando Abreu after translation by the Israeli embassy, show the Jewish state has not launched any legal procedure concerning a 2002 bombing of Gaza, the sources said.

Andreu agreed last month to pursue a complaint of crimes against humanity against seven senior Israeli military figures over the bombing.

He was acting in line with Spain's assumption of the principle of universal jurisdiction in alleged cases of crimes against humanity, genocide, and terrorism.

But he could only proceed if the alleged crimes are not subject to a legal procedure in the country involved. The judge now plans to officially notify former Israeli defence minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and six senior military officials of the inquiry, and also seek witness testimony from Palestinians, the sources said....