Spain Issues Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu Over ‘War Crimes’
A Spanish judge issued arrest warrants for several top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over a 2010 raid Spain considers a “war crime,” according to reports.
The warrants stem from the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid, during which nine activists were killed during a confrontation.
At the time, a prosecutor for the International Criminal Court did not have “sufficient gravity” to justify further action, though there was “reasonable basis” to consider Israel’s actions war crimes, according to the BBC.
Now, Spain’s Judge Jose de la Manta found a loophole, which would allow Netanyahu among others to be detained and questioned if he ever entered the coastal country, Yahoo News reports.
Though the warrants have been issued, foreign ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nachshon claims the action is just an attempt to irritate Israel.
“It’s a provocation,” he says. “The Israeli Embassy in Madrid is in touch with Spanish General Prosecutor in order to close the file as promptly as possible. We hope that this will be over soon.”
After the 2010 raid, the United Nations Human Rights Council issued a report claiming Israel’s military broke international laws.
Since the raid and the report, members of the international community have attempted to pursue action against Israel, including Turkey, England and South Africa.
