Israeli soldiers face risk of prosecution abroad over Gaza duty

Pro-Palestinian organizations have filed 50 complaints in courts around the world against Israeli soldiers accused committing war crimes in Gaza, Israeli media said on Jan. 6.

Such complaints have been filed in France, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Belgium, the Netherlands, Serbia, Ireland, South Africa and Greek Cyprus, several reports said, citing figures presented in a ministerial meeting.

Last week, Israel helped a former soldier leave Brazil after legal action was initiated against him by a group accusing Israelis of war crimes in the Gaza Strip based in part on soldiers' social media posts.

The case is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) that has tracked the activities of hundreds of Israeli soldiers serving in Gaza.

The foundation, named for a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, described the Brazilian judges' move as a "pivotal step toward accountability for crimes committed in the strip."

HRF has also sought the apprehension of Israeli soldiers visiting Thailand, Sri Lanka, Chile and other countries, according to its website.

The Brazil case raised the prospect that rank-and-file Israeli troops could also face prosecution while abroad.

The foundation has a team and system to identify Israeli soldiers who have published videos to social media and to file complaints against the soldiers on that basis.

Throughout the war, Israeli soldiers have posted numerous videos from Gaza that appear to show them rummaging through homes and blowing up or burning residential buildings. In some, they chant racist slogans or boast about destroying the Palestinian territory.

The soldiers publish nearly 1 million posts every day on social media platforms that document their...