Israeli Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi speaks at a ceremony for the 70th cohort of military combat officers, at an army base near Mitzpe Ramon, Israel, Oct. 31, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

i24 News – The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Palestinian organization headquartered in Belgium, has filed a legal complaint seeking the arrest of two Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers who were seen waving a Givati Brigade flag at the Tomorrowland music festival last weekend. The move has drawn sharp attention in Europe amid rising legal and diplomatic tensions over the Gaza conflict.

According to a statement posted Saturday evening on the HRF’s official website, the organization, in collaboration with the British legal advocacy group Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), has petitioned the Belgian Attorney General to arrest and prosecute the soldiers under Belgium’s universal jurisdiction laws.

The foundation accuses the two men of committing “serious international crimes, including war crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip.”

The two soldiers reportedly attended Tomorrowland, one of the world’s largest electronic music festivals, held annually in Boom, Belgium. Video footage circulating on social media showed them holding up the Givati Brigade flag, a symbol linked to one of the IDF’s frontline infantry units.

HRF claims these men were directly involved in combat operations in Gaza and argues their presence in Belgium constitutes an opportunity for prosecution under international law. The Givati Brigade has been cited in several international reports on alleged IDF misconduct during recent military campaigns.

In a separate announcement, the foundation revealed it had also filed a criminal complaint in Portugal last week against another Israeli national, identified in Lisbon, whom it accuses of involvement in what it terms the Israeli “genocide campaign” in Gaza. Portuguese authorities have yet to confirm any action in response.

These legal moves are part of HRF’s broader campaign to hold Israeli soldiers accountable for their roles in military actions in the Gaza Strip. The group has made it clear that it aims to pursue legal avenues in any country where universal jurisdiction allows prosecution of foreign nationals for alleged war crimes.

In response to escalating international pressure and the growing legal risks faced by IDF personnel abroad, Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, recently issued a directive mandating the concealment of the identities of all officers involved in operational activities related to combat, from the rank of lieutenant colonel and above. This measure affects thousands of active-duty and reserve soldiers, many of whom had previously operated publicly under their real names.

The Hind Rajab Foundation was formally registered in Belgium in September 2024 and is led by Dyab Abou Jahjah and Karim Hassoun, both known for their longstanding anti-Israel activism. Jahjah, in particular, has a controversial history, having publicly expressed support for Hezbollah and claimed past participation in its military training. Both leaders have also voiced public support for the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people.

Israeli officials have condemned HRF’s actions, calling them politically motivated and legally baseless. “These so-called legal pursuits are nothing more than attempts to delegitimize Israel’s right to defend itself,” said a spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Belgian authorities have yet to comment publicly on the HRF’s legal filings. However, if accepted, the cases could set a precedent for European enforcement of universal jurisdiction laws against foreign military personnel.