Kokcha News Agency: Spain’s National Court has opened a criminal investigation into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and seven other senior Israeli officials over their alleged involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the attack on the humanitarian ship Madleen.
The decision came after a complaint was filed by Spanish activist Sergio Toribio and the “Committee for Solidarity with the Arab Cause” at the National Court. European Parliament (EP) member and lawyer Jaume Asens announced the development on his social media account X, stating that the court’s decision effectively ruled that the attack on the Madleen constituted a “criminal act.”
Asens explained that the investigation will examine the use of drones, tear gas, and the illegal detention of 12 activists aboard the ship. He described the court’s decision as a “significant step” in the fight against Israeli impunity, adding, “When states fail to fulfill their obligations, it is the duty of civil society to activate justice as an ethical, legal, and political tool against horror. We hope this initiative spreads to other countries and that Netanyahu cannot step foot in Europe without facing justice.”
Background on the Madleen Incident:
The Madleen, an 18-meter-long ship, was part of a mission organized by the “Freedom Flotilla Coalition,” a civil society group aimed at breaking the blockade on Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid. The ship departed from the port of San Giovanni Li Cuti in Catania, Italy, on June 1, bound for Gaza.
In the early hours of June 9, the Israeli military intercepted the Madleen, detaining all 12 activists on board. The activists were brought to Israel, and four of them were deported on the morning of June 10. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced on June 16 that all remaining human rights defenders detained by Israel had been released.
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