List of Israeli war criminals compiled for legal action

European human rights lawyers have compiled a list of Israeli military officials that have played leading roles in the war crimes committed during the Gaza war.

Human rights lawyers and pro-Palestinian activists in Britain, Spain, Belgium and a number of other European countries said on Tuesday that the list enables authorities to issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials if they enter those countries.

The lawyers say they have based their claims on testimonies of Palestinian witnesses and other evidence gathered from Gaza since January, when Israel launched an all-out military offensive against the coastal territory.

The list includes military officers holding ranks of battalion commander and higher who were in command during various stages of Operation 'Cast Lead,' the right-wing Israeli daily, the Haaretz reported, adding that the number of officers and their identities were not released.

The human rights lawyers also praised Richard Goldstone's report that charges Israel with war crimes during the three-week war, saying the group's findings had a lot in common with the report. Attorney Daniel Makover, who is coordinating the efforts in Britain, said the report helps efforts to bring criminal charges against the Israeli officials.

The Israeli army has urged those officers that have participated in the Gaza war to consult with legal experts at the Foreign Ministry and receive special instructions before traveling to certain countries.