Israel said on Tuesday that pressure groups were pushing foreign courts to take action against Israelis over alleged war crimes in Gaza, but described the actions as a “propaganda act.” He said no warrant was issued.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then defense minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes in Gaza, as well as for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, also known as Mohammed Deif, for his role under accused of planning the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
The warrants sparked outrage in Israel, but also drew fears that Israelis serving in the military in Gaza could issue similar warrants.
On Sunday, an Israeli reservist vacationing in Brazil left the country after a Brazilian federal judge in Salvador ordered police to open an investigation into allegations he committed war crimes while serving with the army in Gaza.
The Hind Rajab Foundation, the pro-Palestinian group that carried out the action, says on its website that it is “focusing on offensive prosecutions against perpetrators, supporters and instigators war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine. They said they filed a complaint based on video footage, geolocation data and photos that they said showed the conservationist participating in the demolition of civilian houses.
The group, which is based in Belgium, is named after a six-year-old child a Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza last year, also said they had submitted evidence of alleged war crimes by the ICC against 1,000 Israelis, including video and audio reports, forensic reports and other documents. The ICC confirmed that it had received the filing and said it would “investigate the materials submitted, as appropriate.”
A case that is not widespread: Israel's foreign ministry
Israel's foreign ministry offered support to the curator named in the action, but officials said the case was not widespread.
“This is a phenomenon with a very limited scope in terms of numbers,” foreign ministry director-general Eden Bar Tal told reporters in Jerusalem, adding that there had been no more than 10 to 12 cases since the outbreak. Israeli campaign in Gaza 15 months ago.
“No warrant has been issued in any of these cases. So it was, I would say, a relatively strong PR operation but with very low, very, very low – zero – in critical results.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas army chief Mohammed Deif – all for alleged war crimes . The court has no power to arrest people or execute warrants.
“We think it's a lot of propaganda activity in general and it's sponsored by groups, a very small number of groups, that have direct links to terrorist groups. “
The founder of the Hind Rajab Foundation, Dyab Abou Jahjah, posted messages on social media platform X promising to file a lawsuit against the Israeli soldiers and asking for help identifying them.
The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Complaints against IDF soldiers filed abroad
The case in Brazil has attracted widespread attention in Israel, reinforcing fears that individuals outside the leadership of the government and the military could be drawn into the case of war crimes, especially through social media posts.
The Israeli military has warned detainees they could face arrest abroad over alleged war crimes in Gaza, according to documents released by Israeli media. Haaretz newspaper reported that protests against IDF soldiers were recorded in South Africa, Belgium and France, as well as Brazil.
However, Rubens Becak, professor of law at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, said that it was not always easy for third countries to deal with suits of this type.
“Without specific legislation, it will be very difficult for institutions such as (the Brazilian Federal Police) to be involved in such cases.”
