Criminal Procedures Against Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon Continue

The Belgian court of appeal has sent a subpoena to Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon. The document obliges the Premier to appear in court on November 28. According to the Belgian media, this investigation relates to the Belgian investigation into the Premier's involvement in massacres in the Lebanese towns of Shatila and Sabra in 1982. At that time, Sharon was the Israeli Defence Minister. The criminal procedures against the Israeli Premier was launched this spring on the initiative of 23 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, as well as by several public organisations, which had addressed the Prosecutor's Office in Brussels. The Belgian court is acting in line with a law, which was adopted by the Belgian parliament in 1993. The law stipulates that Belgian judges have the right to rule on war crimes or crimes against humanity committed by anyone anywhere.