Belgian court might try Sharon

An Israeli inquiry ruled Sharon was indirectly responsible

A Belgian court will decide within weeks whether Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon can be placed on trial for alleged crimes against humanity.

Belgian prosecution officials have said a decision would be made after an in depth examination of a complaint charging Mr Sharon with responsibility for the 1982 massacres of refugees in Lebanon.

A law passed in 1993 allows Belgian courts to try cases of crimes against humanity, including genocide, which took place outside Belgium.

The law is already being implemented at the trial in Brussels of four Rwandans charged in connection with the 1994 massacre in Rwanda of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Hundreds died

The complaint against Mr Sharon was submitted by a group of Belgians, Palestinians, Lebanese, and Moroccans.

The plaintiffs charge that Mr Sharon is responsible for the death of at least 800 Palestinians, saying that as defence minister during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, he allowed Christian militias to enter the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps and commit the massacres.

An Israeli state inquiry at the time ruled that Mr Sharon was indirectly responsible for the massacres and forced him to resign as minister.

"This is a political show trial and we are not interesting in commenting on it," the Israeli prime minister's office was quoted as saying by the Israeli news website Ynet.