Attempt to arrest Dichter, Meridor in Spain fails
Pro-Palestinian activists demanded warrants for the arrest of Dichter, Shin Bet chief during Shehada assassination in 2002, Meridor, cabinet minister during Marmara takeover
Pro-Palestinian activists in Spain demanded arrest warrants be issued against former Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter and former Minister Dan Meridor, on a visit to the country.
The attempt failed, and Dichter and Meridor, who have stayed in Spain for three days, will return on Saturday to Israel.
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This new entanglement started several days ago, when it became known that Dichter – who haven't been in Spain in the last 15 years – was to attend a conference organized by a security think tank which collaborates with the Spanish Defense Ministry.
Activists, working through the umbrella group for the Palestinian organizations in Spain, filed a request with the court to reopen the lawsuit against him for his role in the airborne assassination of Salah Shehada in 2002.
The Shehada case in Spain was already closed. However, the pro-Palestinian group demanded Dichter be arrested, as he was the Shin Bet chief at the time of the assassination, and brought for an interrogation.
The Israeli Justice Ministry and Foreign Ministry were alerted, and were in contact with Spanish formal authorities in order to prevent Dichter's arrest and to make sure the Shehada case is not reopened.
After the activists found out that Meridor will also attend the conference, they demanded his arrest as well, this time for his involvement in the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident, during which he was a cabinet minister.
Again, the demands failed to lead to an arrest or an interrogation.
This is not the first time pro-Palestinian groups try and bring about the arrests of top Israeli officials abroad. Last month, Navy chief during the Cast Lead Operation and Marmara takeover, Brig. Gen. Eliezer Marom was held for questioning in the Heathrow Airport in London.
Two years ago a request was filed in Britain for the arrest of then Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni for war crimes during the Cast Lead Operation.
In 2010 a similar request was filed against then Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Britain, also rejected, and Minister Moshe Ya'alon cancelled a trip to the country as a consequence.
Another notable incident occurred with Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Doron Almog, who did not go down his airplane in Britain after he heard he was to be arrested in 2005.
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