Israeli officials wanted in Spain
Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:26:49


From left: Dan Halutz, Avi Dichter and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
Israel's foreign ministry has ordered several Israeli officials not to travel to Europe as they are wanted for 'committing war crimes'.

Arrest warrants have been issued against the Israeli officials over their involvement in the assassination of Salah Shehade, a senior Hamas member. Sixteen Palestinians were killed in "the targeted-assassination operation" six years ago.

Former war minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, former army chief of staff Lieutenant-General Moshe Yaalon, former Shin Bet director Avi Dichter, former Israel air force commander Dan Halutz, former head of the military operation branch Major-General Giora Eiland, former southern command chief Doron Almog and former prime minister Ariel Sharon are on the list of the fugitives, Ynetnews reported.

The lawsuit against the Israeli officials was filed by a Spanish human rights organization last week.

As a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Spain has passed a law which allows war crime lawsuits to be filed within its borders.

ICC members have the universal judicial authority to try suspected war criminals even if their activities have nothing to do with that particular country.