Israel outraged over Spain’s Netanyahu arrest warrant
Spain won’t let Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demons rest. According to the Jerusalem Post, a Spanish national court judge wants to arrest Netanyahu for a 2010 incident now known as the Freedom Flotilla attack.
In 2010, human rights activists and members of the Turkish humanitarian group IHH boarded boats to try to reach the Gaza Strip during an Israeli blockade. Most of the boats were stopped and turned back by Israel without incident, but the when the Israel Navy raided the Mavi Marmara, violence broke out between the Israeli commandos and the IHH activists. Nine activists died in the attack. Israel cleared itself by claiming self-defense and citing evidence (gathered by the Israeli-appointed Turkel Commission) that the IHH was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. An international case was closed following an initial investigation by the International Criminal Court, and the UN-backed Palmer Report said there was not enough evidence to pursue charges.
benjamin netanyahu spain
The case was reexamined in Spain this year when the judge ordered arrest warrants for Netanyahu and seven officials involved in the 2010 incident. “We consider it to be a provocation,” an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman told the Jerusalem Post. “We are working with the Spanish authorities to get it canceled.” Until then, if Netanyahu or the other officials set foot on Spanish soil, they could be at risk of arrest. Or not. Who knows how much legal teeth the arrest warrants actually have.
[H/T: The Independent]
