Israel furious over war crimes ruling
The Belgian ambassador to Israel was ordered to report to the Israeli Foreign Ministry yesterday, while Israel has recalled its ambassador to Brussels for talks.
Israeli Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accused Belgium of "helping to harm not only Israel but also the entire free world", and vowed to "respond with severity".
The Belgian ruling means Mr Sharon and the current director-general of the Israeli Defence Ministry, General Amos Yaron, could eventually be tried in relation to massacres committed during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982.
The decision stems from a case brought against Mr Sharon and Mr Yaron by Palestinian survivors of the killings in the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps, which was dismissed last year by a lower court. In its latest ruling, the Supreme Court said the case against Mr Yaron could proceed, while new investigations into Mr Sharon could get under way once he leaves office.
Israeli officials denounced the ruling and warned that it could create a serious crisis between the two countries.
Former Labour Party leader and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres accused Belgium of interfering: "Belgium cannot be Israel's judge. It has not gone through the same things as Israel and cannot judge history."
However, a lawyer for the Palestinians, Chibli Mallat, called the Belgian decision "one of the most important rulings that there has been in international law". The law, which allows for prosecution even if the defendant is not in the country, is expected to be passed this spring.
Mr Sharon was Israel's defence minister and Mr Yaron oversaw the Beirut sector when Israel sent its forces into Lebanon to repel Palestinian attacks.
The killings in the refugee camps were carried out by Lebanese Christian militia allied to Israel, which then occupied southern Lebanon. An Israeli investigation found Mr Sharon indirectly responsible for failing to prevent the massacre of between 800 and 2,000 refugees.
Mr Sharon was forced to resign from government but never faced charges.
In the run-up to the 2001 Israeli elections, he expressed regret about the "terrible tragedy" at the refugee camps, but rejected any responsibility.
War crimes proceedings have been brought in Belgium against world figures including Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein and Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo.
