Madrid - Prosecutors at Spain's National Court on Wednesday appealed a decision by a judge at the same court to continue investigating a 2002 Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.

It was first up to Israel to investigate the attack, which killed Hamas leader Salah Shehade and 14 others, the prosecutors argued.

Several judicial probes had been, or were being, carried out in Israel, they said, accusing judge Fernando Andreu of "distrust" towards the Israeli judiciary.

The move by the prosecutors followed a call by Israel to shelve the case, after Andreu announced that he would pursue it despite contrary advice by the prosecutors.

Israel accused the Palestinian plaintiffs of "exploiting" the Spanish judicial system for political ends, and expressed confidence that the Spanish government and judiciary would "do their utmost" to stop the inquiry.

The suspects named by Andreu include former Israeli defence minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and six current or former army officers or security officials.

The probe is based on a complaint lodged by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.

Israel's "disproportionate" attack, in which children were among those killed and 150 people were injured, could be regarded as a crime against humanity, Andreu said when launching his probe in January.

The National Court has become known for its inquiries into possible human rights violations in other countries, ranging from Chile and Argentina to Tibet and the territory of Western Sahara. (dpa)