A Spanish court has issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and seven of their former and current government officials.
According to the Independent, Spanish national court judge Jose de la Mata oredred the police and civil guard to notify him if Netanyahu and the others entered Spain.
The judge said their entry could reopen a case against them regarding the Freedom Flotilla attack of 2010.
The other men named in the issue are former defence minister Ehud Barak, former foreign minister Avigdor Leiberman, former minister of strategic affairs Moshe Yaalon, former interior minister Eli Yishai, minister without portfolio Benny Begin and vice admiral maron Eliezer, who was in charge of the operation.
The case – which was put on hold by Judge de la Mata last year – was brought against the men following an attack by Israeli security forces against the Freedom Flotilla aid ships in 2010, which was trying to reach Gaza.
It concerns the Mavi Marmara ship, the main civilian vessel in a fleet of six that were attempting to break an Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The six ships were carrying around 500 passengers, humanitarian aid and construction materials. The Israeli Defence Force stormed the ship in a raid that left nine human rights activists dead. A tenth activist died later that month due to wounds sustained in the raid.
The Israeli prime minister and other officials now face charges in the case, should it be reopened.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nachshon told the Jerusalem Post: “We consider it to be a provocation. We are working with the Spanish authorities to get it cancelled. We hope it will be over soon.”
Source: Dhaka Tribune
