Ha'Aretz Article(in full)

PARIS - Seven French families living in Israel have lodged two complaints in a Paris court against Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, accusing him of genocide and crimes against humanity, their lawyers said Monday.


The attorneys, Pascal Besnier and Michel Calvo, said that the charges were filed by the families of victims of terrorist acts committed against Israeli citizens.


Six of these victims were killed and another was seriously injured in the attacks, which were carried out after the beginning of the second intifada in September 2000.


The charges are based on the plaintiffs' belief that although Arafat "had the power and the means to prevent acts of terrorism, assassinations and violence", he "organized and financed them" instead, the lawyers said.


Because they do not regard Arafat as a true head of state, the plaintiffs also consider that he is not covered by international laws protecting a national leader from prosecution in a foreign land.