An Israeli army reservist vacationing in Brazil was forced to flee the country after a pro-Palestinian legal group filed a war crimes complaint against him. The case highlights the growing use of 'universal jurisdiction' to prosecute individuals for alleged crimes committed in conflict zones, regardless of their nationality or location.
An Israel i army reservist's dream vacation in Brazil ended abruptly last month over an accusation that he committed war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Yuval Vagdani woke up on Jan. 4 to a flurry of missed calls from family members and Israel ’s Foreign Ministry with an urgent warning: A pro-Palestinian legal group had convinced a federal judge in Brazil to open a war crimes investigation for him.
A frightened Vagdani fled the country on a commercial flight the next day to avoid the grip of a powerful legal concept called “universal jurisdiction,” which allows governments to prosecute people for the most serious crimes regardless of where they are allegedly committed. \The case against Vagdani was brought by the Hind Rajab Foundation, a legal group based in Belgium named after a young girl who Palestinians say was killed early in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Aided by geolocation data, the group built its case around Vagdani’s own social media posts. A photograph showed him in uniform in Gaza, where he served in an infantry unit; a video showed a large explosion of buildings in Gaza during which soldiers can be heard cheering. \Hind Rajab Foundation has also filed complaints against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for crimes against humanity for using “starvation as a method of warfare” and for intentionally targeting civilians. Both Israel and Netanyahu have vehemently denied the accusations. Since forming last year, Hind Rajab has made dozens of complaints in more than 10 countries to arrest both low-level and high-ranking Israeli soldiers. Its campaign has yet to yield any arrests
WORLD NEWS WAR CRIMES GAZA STRIP ISRAEL PALESTINE UNIVERSAL JURISDICTION
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Israeli Police Raid Palestinian Bookstore, Confiscate Books on Israeli-Palestinian ConflictIsraeli authorities raided the Educational Bookshop, a Palestinian-owned bookstore in east Jerusalem, detaining its owners and confiscating books related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The police cited incitement to violence as the reason for the raid, drawing criticism for allegedly suppressing Palestinian voices and restricting access to information about the conflict.
Read more »
Israeli Reservist's Vacation Cut Short by War Crimes Allegations in BrazilAn Israeli army reservist's vacation in Brazil was abruptly ended after a pro-Palestinian legal group accused him of war crimes committed during the recent conflict in Gaza. Yuval Vagdani fled the country facing a war crimes investigation in Brazil, highlighting the reach of 'universal jurisdiction' which allows governments to prosecute serious crimes regardless of location.
Read more »
Four more Israeli hostages released by Hamas as ceasefire continues to holdAfter the release of four female Israeli soldiers, Israeli authorities released 200 Palestinian prisoners.
Read more »
Israeli Hostage Release Sparks Outrage, Delays Palestinian Prisoner FreedomThe release of Israeli and Thai hostages in Gaza was marred by chaotic scenes, prompting Israeli leaders to condemn the event and temporarily delay the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paused the planned release of 110 Palestinian detainees after footage showed a large crowd celebrating the handover of the hostages in Khan Younis. While the release of Israeli soldier Agam Berger proceeded smoothly, the handover of two Israeli and five Thai civilians resulted in images of a jubilant crowd jostling the freed hostages. This incident sparked concerns of a repeat of a previous tragedy where Israeli soldiers were killed by a Palestinian mob. Later in the day, 110 Palestinian prisoners, including a former militant leader, were released from Ofer Prison in the West Bank, met with jubilation in Ramallah but met with restrictions by Israeli forces.
Read more »
Gaza Truce Enters 21st Day: Prisoner Release, Israeli Withdrawal, and Gaza Casualties RiseThe truce between Israel and Gaza enters its 21st day, marked by the release of Palestinian prisoners, Israeli withdrawals, and a tragic spike in Palestinian casualties. A bus carrying 42 Palestinian prisoners arrived in Ramallah. Israel is set to release 183 prisoners on Saturday in exchange for three Israeli captives released by Hamas. Meanwhile, the Israeli army withdrew from the occupied West Bank town of Tammun. Palestinian medics recovered 22 more bodies from the rubble in Gaza, pushing the overall death toll to nearly 62,000.
Read more »
Middle East latest: Palestinian prime minister says Palestinian Authority should run Gaza in futureThe Palestinian prime minister says it's unacceptable for any entity other than the Palestinian Authority to run the Gaza Strip in the future. Mohammad Mustafa made the comments Wednesday on a visit to Norway as Israel and Hamas appear to be at the closest point yet to sealing a deal to end 15 months of war.
Read more »