A complaint was filed in Argentina on Tuesday by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) claiming an IDF soldier visiting the country committed war crimes. The pro-Palestine group presented photos and video clips showing the soldier posing for cameras with a blindfolded Palestinian detained by the troops, “using him as a human shield.”
The HRF claimed it was in possession of more photographic evidence that the soldier took clothes from displaced Gazans and organized attacks against civilian infrastructure including setting homes on fire. He was heard, they claim, instructing homes to be destroyed while residents were inside and tried to destroy evidence of his actions.
The foundation’s leaders include Diab Abu Jahjah and Karim Hassoun, both based in Belgium. Abu Jahjah, a long-time supporter of Hezbollah, once described the September 11 attacks as “sweet revenge” in a 2003 New York Times interview. He also founded the Arab League in Europe and continues to post inflammatory statements against Israel on social media.
Hassoun, chairman of the Arab European League since 2005, has consistently refused to recognize Israel, describing it as a “colonialist and racist state.” Following the October 7 Hamas terror attack, Hassoun wrote: “The Palestinians are not invading Israel; they are returning home and reclaiming their property.”
The Hind Rajab Foundation’s latest actions underscore a growing challenge for Israel, as legal threats against IDF personnel escalate worldwide. By acting swiftly, the Foreign Ministry demonstrated its commitment to protecting Israeli citizens from targeted legal and political campaigns. However, the case serves as a stark reminder of the risks Israeli soldiers face abroad.
Meanwhile, Brazil's federal police on Tuesday appealed to the federal court and said further inspection is required in the case of an IDF soldier the HRF filed a complaint against for alleged war crimes in Gaza, to prove his connection to the alleged incidents and allow him to be prosecuted in the country.
The foundation which was named for a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was claimed to have been killed by IDF fire during the war, said that the Brazilian government decided to take action after a complaint was filed against the Israeli who arrived in Brazil a week ago. In their complaint, the foundation said his actions were part of a broader effort that included genocide and crimes against humanity, according to international law.
The Israeli soldier left the country with his friends before legal action could be taken against him, his family told Ynet, adding they were relieved after a tense period of time and were awaiting his return home. "He's out of there," his father said. "Everything will be fine."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Against this backdrop, local news outlet Metropoles reported a disagreement among federal police officials regarding the legitimacy of such an investigation. A request for a review of the decision read that "technical and legal issues" surrounding such a move need resolution.
According to the report, some investigators in the Brazilian police argue that a war crimes investigation against the soldier could rely on Brazil's status as a signatory to the Rome Statute, which underpins the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Others, however, believe that this is insufficient for prosecution and that a local law defining such an offense is needed.