European Human Rights Lawyers To Sue Israeli Officers For War Crimes

Thursday October 29, 2009 02:42 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

A number of European lawyers and human rights activities stated that they obtained names of Israeli army officers suspected of committing war crimes during the war against the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

The lawyers said they would be filing lawsuits against the officers for committing war crimes against the Palestinian people.

Israeli paper Haaretz said that the lawyers collected testimonies from residents of the Gaza Strip in preparation to file the lawsuits.

The lists are being filed in Britain, Spain, Norway, Belgium and Holland as the legislation in these countries allow arrest warrants against war crimes suspects.

Haaretz added that attorney Daniel Makeover, from London, told its reporter that the report of Judge Richard Goldstone will be helpful in the lawsuits.

Israel said it would be countering the lawsuits, and that it is preparing legal teams but did not offer further details.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that it is working against the issue which it described as ‘efforts carried out by pro Palestinian groups and their supporters to harm Israel’.

Last month, former Israeli Army Chief of Staff, Moshe Yaalon, had to cancel a trip to London due to fears of being apprehended there.

Yaalon is the current vice Prime Minister and Minister of the so-called Strategic Affairs.

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