JERUSALEM, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- An Israeli minister slammed a senior Palestinian Authority official Monday for calling the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a war criminal.
If Sharon, who died last week after being comatose for eight years, were a war criminal, then PA official Jibril Rajoub was "a subhuman with blood on his hands," Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz told Israeli broadcaster Arutz Sheva.
Rajoub offered his characterization of Sharon Sunday in several interviews, as well as saying he regretted that Sharon was never tried in an international court for what Rajoub called "crimes" against Palestinians, particularly for what he said was an assassination attempt on Yasser Arafat.
Despite scientific studies that concluded Arafat died of natural causes, conspiracy theories blame an Israeli "assassination" for his death.
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Speaking to Arutz Sheva while going to Monday's funeral service for Sharon, Katz said: "When I hear a subhuman like Jibril Rajoub, whose hands are awash in Jewish blood, celebrating the death of Ariel Sharon and calling him a murderer, and when I see the joy in the Arab street over his death, I say that we are all Sharon today."
On Sunday, Jamal Zahalka, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, said Sharon should be tried posthumously as an example, Arutz Sheva said.
"Sharon's biological death reminds us that war criminals should be tried before international courts," Zahalka posted on his Facebook page. "If, as in Sharon's case, this is no longer possible, he should be put on trial anyway, even if he is not present, and indicted for crimes against humanity. This should be done in order to strip Zionism naked and show the world its sins. Sharon was one of Zionism's greatest spokespeople."
