Spanish justice to pursue investigation against Israel

The Spanish judiciary has decided to continue its investigation against a former minister and Israeli military officials for a deadly bombing in Ghaza in 2002, after reviewing new documents, according to judicial source Friday.

•     Judge Fernando Abreu of the National Audience, the main Spanish criminal institution, decided to continue his investigation after receiving documents translated by the Israeli embassy in Spain.
  
      These documents do not mention the existence in Israel of any proceedings on this matter, "said this source to the press.
  
      According to the principle of "universal justice", the Spanish justice system to investigate on genocide and crimes against humanity even if committed abroad, but only if they are being or are subject to any proceedings in their country, "said this source.
  
      Judge Andreu had planned to send the next few days two rogatory commissions, the first to notify the launching of prosecution against the former Israeli Minister of Defense Benjamin Ben Eliezer and six senior military officers and the second to ask to travel to Ghaza to interview witnesses and relatives of victims.
  
      The judge had ruled in late January admissible a complaint by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, concerning the bombing in July 2002 which killed a Hamas leader, Salah Chehadeh and 14 Palestinian civilians, mostly children and babies".
  
      Some 150 Palestinians were also wounded during the attack, the explosion of ‘a one tonne bomb’ dropped by an Israeli F-16.
  
      This investigation has provoked anger in Israel. Defense Minister Ehud Barak called it "delusional" and said he "would do everything" for its cancellation.
  
      It plunged into an embarrassment the Spanish socialist government.
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.