JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli victims of rocket attacks from Gaza have asked a Belgian court to try Hamas officials for war crimes.
About 15 dual Israeli-Belgian citizens — all of whom were wounded, lost a relative, or had their homes damages in rocket attacks during last winter’s Operation Cast Lead — filed the lawsuit in Belgium Thursday.
The lawsuit against ten Hamas military and political leaders was filed on the Israelis’ behalf by European Initiative, a European pro-Israel lobby, according to reports.
The lawsuit cites reports from international human rights groups, including the Goldstone Report submitted to the United Nations, which said Hamas rocket attacks against areas of southern Israel violated international human rights law and may constitute war crimes.
The lawsuit follows several filed in European countries by pro-Palestinian groups against Israeli military and political leaders.
