UPDATE 1-Dutch court not competent to hear war crimes case against Israel's Gantz


Reuters | Amsterdam | Updated: 29-01-2020 16:10 IST | Created: 29-01-2020 15:47 IST
UPDATE 1-Dutch court not competent to hear war crimes case against Israel's Gantz
Representative image Image Credit: ANI
  • Country:
  • Netherlands

A Dutch district court on Wednesday ruled that it does not have jurisdiction to hear a case against former Israeli Armed Forces chief Benny Gantz brought by a Dutch-Palestinian who lost six relatives during an Israeli airstrike on Gaza in 2014.

The claim was filed under universal jurisdiction rules by the claimant Ismail Ziada. Judicial authorities in countries that recognize universal jurisdiction for serious offenses such as war crimes and torture can investigate and prosecute those crimes no matter where they were committed. "A Dutch judge is not competent to rule on the case of the claimant," presiding Judge Larisa Alwin said, explaining that universal jurisdiction could be applied for individual criminal responsibility but not in a civil case.

In civil cases in national courts, Gantz enjoys immunity from prosecution due to his government function at the times of the alleged crimes, Alwin said. A career soldier, Gantz was chief of staff of the Israeli armed forces from 2011 until his retirement in 2015. He was commander during the 2014 war against Palestinian militants in Palestinian-run Gaza when the incident took place.

About 2,200 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed, up to 1,500 of them civilians during the conflict. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers were killed and five civilians. Gantz is the main rival facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an election in Israel on March 2, Israel’s third in less than a year after inconclusive ballots in April and September.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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