Israeli Soldiers Targeted by Political Lawfare in Foreign Courts
Radical anti-Israel activists increasingly exploit a legal principle known as “universal jurisdiction,” which allows courts in certain countries to prosecute foreign nationals for alleged war crimes. While this law was originally designed to address atrocities such as genocide, it has been manipulated by Israel’s adversaries to falsely accuse IDF soldiers.
Legal experts argue that these actions ignore the reality of asymmetric warfare, where Hamas terrorists embed themselves among civilians and use human shields. The IDF, recognized as one of the most ethical militaries in the world, follows stringent protocols to minimize civilian harm—often going far beyond what international law requires.
An Israeli reservist, Yuval Vagdani, was forced to leave Brazil after a radical pro-Palestinian organization sought to prosecute him for his military service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The Hind Rajab Foundation, an activist group known for its anti-Israel stance, lobbied a Brazilian federal judge to investigate Vagdani over his participation in defensive operations in Gaza. The case was based on flimsy evidence, relying on social media posts and manipulated narratives rather than any real proof of wrongdoing.
Realizing the case was politically motivated, Vagdani left Brazil before facing potential legal entanglements. Israeli officials have denounced these efforts as part of a broader campaign to delegitimize IDF soldiers who courageously defend Israel from Hamas terrorism.
The Hind Rajab Foundation and similar groups have made multiple attempts to prosecute Israeli soldiers in various countries, but none have resulted in arrests. Israeli officials believe these efforts are meant to deter young soldiers from serving in the IDF and to create a false narrative of Israeli “war crimes” while ignoring Hamas’ documented atrocities, including the massacre of over 1,200 Israelis on October 7, 2023.
This campaign is part of a broader trend of “lawfare”—a strategy in which legal systems are misused to target Israel instead of addressing real war crimes committed by terrorist groups. Hamas and its allies in international forums push these cases while disregarding their own documented use of child soldiers, summary executions, and indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilian populations.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), which claims to uphold justice globally, has shown a disturbing bias against Israel. Despite Israel not being a member of the ICC, the court continues to investigate Israeli leaders while largely ignoring Hamas’ war crimes.
In a highly controversial move in late 2024, the ICC issued politically motivated arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes for their response to Hamas terrorism. Legal scholars and Israeli officials have condemned these actions as part of an ongoing effort to criminalize Israel’s self-defense while giving a free pass to terrorist organizations.
President Trump has already signed an executive order sanctioning members of the ICC.