A Spanish court has accepted a lawsuit against senior Israeli officials, a suit filed by an Arab human rights organization.
 
The suit refers to a 2002 air force operation in which senior terrorist commander Salah Shehadah was eliminated in Gaza. 14 Gazan civilians were killed in the attack, prompting the lawsuit charging “crimes against humanity”. Gaza officials add that some 100 people were also wounded in the air-to-surface missile attack.
 
Named in the suit are a number of former senior officials, including Dan Halutz, the air force commander at the time, as well as former IDF S. District Commander Doron Almog, National Security Council director Giora Eiland, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, and Brig.-Gen. (reserves) Mike Herzog, who was the military secretary to the defense minister at the time.
 
Halutz came under fire by Israel’s left-wing community following the mission, when asked if he was bothered by the number of “innocent dead and injured”. Halutz stated “I have no trouble sleeping at night,” touching off a media storm against him.
 
A number of politicians responded to the suit, including former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who called the court’s decision “hallucinatory and ridiculous,” stating he is confidence the State of Israel will protect those targeted in the suit and provide any and all legal and other backing necessary.
 
Foreign Ministry officials point out that the law also permits the Spanish court throw out the suit, and the ministry condemned the court for not doing so. Ministry officials also confirm reports that Israel may send a representative to Spain to challenge the suit.
 
Upon hearing the news of the lawsuit, a number of officials rejected any claims to legitimize such an action, standing firmly behind the high moral character of the State of Israel, the IDF and its soldiers and officers.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)