Brazil’s Federal Court had issued an order to detain the IDF soldier, citing suspicion of “involvement in the destruction of a residential building in the Gaza Strip using explosives outside of combat conditions.” Despite the court’s decision, the soldier managed to escape from the country. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Embassy in Brazil have not yet commented on the reports.
Over 500 Documents Submitted in Complaint
The court’s decision followed a complaint filed by the Palestinian organization Hind Rajab (HRF), which focuses on pursuing legal actions against IDF soldiers. The organization reportedly scrutinizes soldiers’ social media accounts to find evidence from their military service and submits arrest requests when soldiers post about their travels abroad.
According to the Palestinian organization, the destroyed buildings in the operation involving the soldier “provided shelter to displaced Palestinians.” The organization claims to have submitted over 500 documents in support of the complaint, many of which were allegedly sourced from social media. HRF also sought the soldier’s detention to prevent his escape from Brazil or the destruction of evidence. However, the soldier successfully left the country.
Ongoing Legal Challenges Against IDF Soldiers
In an interview with N12, the father of the soldier revealed:
“Yesterday at 5:00 PM, my son called me and told me his close friend had received an urgent message from the consulate: ‘An arrest warrant has been issued against you.’ The families of the four friends traveling together decided to establish a kind of emergency operations center to get their loved ones out of the country.”
Two weeks ago, reports surfaced that the pro-Palestinian Hind Rajab Foundation in the Netherlands had filed complaints in Argentina, Chile, and The Hague, demanding arrest warrants for IDF soldiers. The primary target was Saar Hirshhorn, “a soldier in Engineering Battalion 749.” Similar complaints were filed against the battalion commander and approximately 20 other soldiers.
This case adds to a series of problematic incidents in recent months where pro-Palestinian organizations have initiated legal actions against IDF soldiers. In one instance, they attempted to have an Israeli reserve officer arrested in Cyprus. The officer returned to Israel before the arrest after the organization published his name and photo, announcing the complaint. In another case, an IDF soldier was instructed by Israel to leave Sri Lanka during a trip due to fear of arrest after his name and photo were similarly publicized.
No Successes Yet for Pro-Palestinian Organizations
To date, these organizations have not succeeded in arresting any IDF soldiers traveling abroad. However, their efforts are causing growing concern within Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice.
