Damage in 2002 bombing
Photo: Reuters
Spanish prosecutors appeal Israel probe
Public prosecutors tell judge 'judicial actions taken by Israel are sufficient' in case of 2002 Gaza strike
Spanish public prosecutors appealed Wednesday a decision taken by a judge two days earlier to press ahead with a probe into a deadly Israeli air raid in Gaza in 2002.
On Monday National Court judge Fernando Andreu said he was going ahead with the probe into the attack, which killed Hamas leader Salah Shehadeh and 14 other civilians, because there was no evidence that it was being adequately investigated by Israel.
But public prosecutors Wednesday once again recommended that the investigation be shelved.
They argued that "the judicial actions taken by the state of Israel should be considered to be sufficient procedures of inquiry," a judicial official told AFP.
The Foreign Ministry stated on Monday that the Spanish judge's decision was unfortunate. "We have no doubt that this decision is just another cynical move aimed at taking advantage of the Spanish judicial system against Israel, and it will be revoked after the appeal as requested," the ministry's statement said.
