Lawyers attempting to indict the Israeli Prime Minister for war crimes have said the case against Mr Ariel Sharon is still strong despite the killing of former Lebanese militia leader and key witness Mr Elie Hobeika.
But they admitted testimony or documents provided by the Mr Hobeika, assassinated in a Beirut bomb attack yesterday, could have strengthened the Belgian case to prosecute Mr Sharon.
"Our case was strong even before Mr Hobeika announced his willingness to participate," lawyer Mr Michael Verhaeghe said. "It could have been much stronger with his evidence, but it's still strong".
The Belgian lawyers representing Palestinian relatives of those killed in a massacre on Beirut camps refugee camps in Sabra and Shatila in 1982 are accusing Mr Sharon of crimes against humanity over the slaughter.
The legal action has been held up by a Brussels appeals court, which is due to rule on March 6th on whether Mr Sharon can be tried in Belgium under laws giving the courts powers to prosecute foreigners for alleged human rights committed elsewhere.
Mr Sharon's lawyer, Mr Adrien Massert, said Mr Hobeika's killing had nothing to do with the question of jurisdiction, and that the case would follow its course in the appeals court.
The court's ruling in turn would be subject to appeal.
An 1983 Israeli inquiry found Mr Sharon, then defence minister, indirectly responsible for the killings by the Phalangist militia during Israel's invasion of the Lebanon. It also said Mr Hobeika helped direct Christian fighters who did the killing.
In a meeting with Belgian senators two days before his murder, Mr Hobeika, who had always denied responsibility for the killings, repeated that he was ready to testify against Mr Sharon.