Some Israeli soldiers traveling abroad are targeted for alleged war crimes in Gaza

Some Israeli soldiers traveling abroad are targeted for alleged war crimes in Gaza
Israeli soldiers walk on a street as they conduct a raid in al-Faraa camp for Palestinian refugees near Tubas in the occupied West Bank on February 10, 2025. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
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Updated 11 February 2025
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Some Israeli soldiers traveling abroad are targeted for alleged war crimes in Gaza

Some Israeli soldiers traveling abroad are targeted for alleged war crimes in Gaza

THE HAGUE, Netherlands: An Israeli 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 his alleged participation in the demolition of civilian homes in Gaza.
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.
Vagdani, a survivor of Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on an Israeli music festival, told an Israeli radio station the accusation felt like “a bullet in the heart.”
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 war by Israeli fire as she and her family fled Gaza City.
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.
Judges at the International Criminal Court concluded last year there was enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant for 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. But it has led Israel to tighten restrictions on social media usage among military personnel.
“It’s our responsibility, as far as we are concerned, to bring the cases,” Haroon Raza, a co-founder of Hind Rajab, said from his office in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It is then up to authorities in each country — or the International Criminal Court — to pursue them, he added.
The director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Eden Bar-Tal, last month said fewer than a dozen soldiers had been targeted, and he dismissed the attempted arrests as a futile public relations stunt by “terrorist organizations.”
Universal jurisdiction is not new. The 1949 Geneva Conventions — the post Second World War treaty regulating military conduct — specify that all signatories must prosecute war criminals or hand them over to a country who will. In 1999, the United Nations Security Council asked all UN countries to include universal jurisdiction in their legal codes, and around 160 countries have adopted them in some form.
“Certain crimes like war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity are crimes under international law,” said Marieke de Hoon, an international law expert at the University of Amsterdam. “And we’ve recognized in international law that any state has jurisdiction over those egregious crimes.”
Israel used the concept to prosecute Adolf Eichmann, an architect of the Holocaust. Mossad agents caught him in Argentina in 1960 and brought him to Israel where he was sentenced to death by hanging.
More recently, a former Syrian secret police officer was convicted in 2022 by a German court of crimes against humanity a decade earlier for overseeing the abuse of detainees at a jail. Later that year, an Iranian citizen was convicted by a Swedish court of war crimes during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
In 2023, 16 people were convicted of war crimes through universal jurisdiction, according to TRIAL International, a Swiss organization that tracks proceedings. Those convictions were related to crimes committed in Syria, Rwanda, Iran and other countries.
In response to Brazil’s pursuit of Vagdani, the Israeli military has prohibited soldiers below a certain rank from being named in news articles and requires their faces to be obscured. It has also warned soldiers against social media posts related to their military service or travel plans.
The evidence Hind Rajab lawyers presented to the judge in Brazil came mostly from Vagdani’s social media accounts.
“That’s what they saw and that’s why they want me for their investigation,” he told the Israeli radio station Kansas “From one house explosion they made 500 pages. They thought I murdered thousands of children.”
Vagdani does not appear in the video and he did not say whether he had carried out the explosion himself, telling the station he had come into Gaza for “maneuvers” and “was in the battles of my life.”
Social media has made it easier in recent years for legal groups to gather evidence. For example, several Daesh militants have been convicted of crimes committed in Syria by courts in various European countries, where lawyers relied on videos posted online, according to de Hoon.
The power of universal jurisdiction has limits.
In the Netherlands, where Hind Rajab has filed more than a dozen complaints, either the victim or perpetrator must hold Dutch nationality, or the suspect must be in the country for the entirety of the investigation — factors likely to protect Israeli tourists from prosecution. Eleven complaints against 15 Israeli soldiers have been dismissed, some because the accused was only in the country for a short time, according to Dutch prosecutors. Two complaints involving four soldiers are pending.
In 2016, activists in the UK made unsuccessful attempts to arrest Israeli military and political leaders for their roles in the 2008-09 war in Gaza.
Raza says his group will persist. “It might take 10 years. It might be 20 years. No problem. We are ready to have patience.”
There is no statute of limitations on war crimes.


Israel military appoints new top spokesman

Israel military appoints new top spokesman
Updated 30 sec ago
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Israel military appoints new top spokesman

Israel military appoints new top spokesman
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military on Sunday announced the appointment of a new spokesman to replace Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who became the face of the country’s war effort and is due to step down.
A military statement said that the newly sworn-in chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, “has appointed (Brig. General) Effie Defrin as the IDF spokesperson.”
As a tank battalion commander, Defrin “fought and was wounded in the Second Lebanon War” in 2006, the statement said, adding that he went on to serve in “key roles,” most recently as head of the International Cooperation Division.
Defrin’s predecessor, Hagari, became a household name after the war with Hamas erupted in October 2023, briefing the media and the general public almost daily — and sometimes several times a day.
The army announced on Friday that Hagari would be stepping down at the end of his term in March.
According to the Israeli media, he had decided to leave the army because the new chief of staff refused him a promotion.
Some statements Hagari made during the war triggered criticism from the government.
In December, Hagari apologized for publicly criticizing a bill that would protect soldiers who disclose classified information to the prime minister.
He also prompted a knee-jerk reaction from the government in June when he said that Hamas cannot be eliminated.
“To say that we are going to make Hamas disappear is to throw sand in people’s eyes,” Hagari told Israel’s Channel 13 broadcaster, adding: “Hamas is an ideology, we cannot eliminate an ideology.”
His comments were quickly rebuffed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Japan grants $660,000 to support inclusive education for vulnerable children in Jordan

Japan grants $660,000 to support inclusive education for vulnerable children in Jordan
Updated 4 min 52 sec ago
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Japan grants $660,000 to support inclusive education for vulnerable children in Jordan

Japan grants $660,000 to support inclusive education for vulnerable children in Jordan
  • The project, based in Amman, will focus on early disability detection and intervention in four kindergarten facilities

AMMAN: Japan has awarded a $660,663 grant to World Vision Japan to enhance inclusive education for vulnerable children in Amman, the Jordan News Agency, known as Petra, reported on Sunday.

The agreement was signed by Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Asari Hideki and WVJ project manager Ikenoya Rie, who is deployed to World Vision’s office in Jordan.

The initiative aims to create an accessible educational environment for all children, particularly those with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The project, based in Amman, will focus on early disability detection and intervention in four kindergarten facilities while strengthening the capacity of educators and caregivers to support children with diverse learning needs.

Teachers in seven primary schools will also receive training on inclusive education methods, and accessibility will be improved through the provision of barrier-free facilities and inclusive learning materials.

Community engagement will play a key role in the initiative, promoting a more supportive and inclusive educational environment, according to Petra.

By drawing on World Vision Japan’s expertise, the program seeks to reduce social disparities and empower vulnerable children, ensuring they receive the education and support needed to thrive, it added.


Jordan’s King Abdullah backs Syria’s stability at regional meeting in Amman

Jordan’s King Abdullah backs Syria’s stability at regional meeting in Amman
Updated 09 March 2025
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Jordan’s King Abdullah backs Syria’s stability at regional meeting in Amman

Jordan’s King Abdullah backs Syria’s stability at regional meeting in Amman
  • Followed a broader regional meeting that brought together foreign and defense ministers from neighboring countries

AMMAN: King Abdullah II on Sunday received representatives of Syria, Turkiye, Iraq and Lebanon participating in a high-level meeting of Syria’s neighboring countries, hosted by Jordan.

During the meeting, at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman, the king reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to supporting Syria’s security, stability and territorial integrity, as well as safeguarding the rights of its citizens.

Discussions focused on the importance of coordinated efforts among Syria and its neighboring countries to address regional security challenges, particularly countering terrorism, maintaining border security, and curbing drug and arms smuggling.

The king also stressed the need to facilitate the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees, enabling them to take part in the country’s reconstruction efforts.

Earlier in the day, a broader regional meeting began at the King Hussein Club in Amman, bringing together foreign and defense ministers, chiefs of staff and intelligence agency directors from Jordan, Turkiye, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

The meeting followed days of clashes between Syrian security forces and insurgents of the minority Alawite community loyal to the deposed Bashar Assad government in Syria’s coastal province.

Participants discussed strategies for eliminating terrorism, ensuring border stability and supporting the Syrian people in rebuilding their country on a foundation that guaranteed its unity and sovereignty.

“Stability in Syria requires dialogue with the country’s various components,” said Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein at a joint news conference afterward.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed the “historic” meeting and called for cooperation to decrease tension in Syria.


Syria’s neighboring foreign ministers call for lifting sanctions, reconciliation

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani attends a meeting of delegates from Turkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani attends a meeting of delegates from Turkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
Updated 09 March 2025
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Syria’s neighboring foreign ministers call for lifting sanctions, reconciliation

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani attends a meeting of delegates from Turkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
  • Syria’s neighbors fear that the country’s pulverized economy and internal tensions could impact their own stability
  • Ministers were critical of what they said was foreign intervention in the region after Israeli troops conducted military operations in southern Syria

AMMAN: Syria’s top diplomat and his counterparts from neighboring countries Sunday called for the lifting of Western-led sanctions on Syria and post-war reconciliation.
The foreign ministers of Turkiye, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon made their remarks alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani following a meeting in the Jordanian capital Amman.
It comes following days of clashes between Syrian security forces and insurgents of the minority Alawite community loyal to the deposed Bashar Assad government in Syria’s coastal province. Some rights groups say the fighting has killed hundreds. The Associated Press could not independently verify those numbers.
The United States and Europe have been hesitant to lift sanctions on Syria before there is a clear political transition that is democratic and inclusive of Syria’s minorities and civil society. At the same time, the country desperately needs money to rebuild after years of war and pull millions out of poverty. The United Nations estimates that some 90 percent of Syria’s population lives in poverty.
“We are protecting all components of the Syrian people, and we do not discriminate between them. We will not allow the repetition of the tragedies of the Syrian people,” said Al-Shibani.
Syria’s new authorities under President Ahmad Al-Sharaa have struggled to convince the United States and Europe to lift sanctions to start rebuilding the country after 13 years of war and reconcile with the Kurds in the northeast and Druze in the south to exert state authority across the country.
Syria’s neighbors fear that the country’s pulverized economy and internal tensions could impact their own stability.
“Stability in Syria requires dialogue with the country’s various components,” said Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein at a joint news conference.
The foreign ministers were critical of what they said was foreign intervention in the region after Israeli troops conducted military operations in southern Syria and seized a UN buffer zone that divides Syria from the Golan Heights, which Israel seized and annexed in 1967. On Sunday, the Israeli commanding officers visited and assessed the buffer zone.
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan welcomed the “historic” meeting and called for cooperation to decrease tension in Syria, and said he alongside others will work against sleeper cells belonging to the extremist Daesh group and affiliates of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Syria and Iraq.
“This is a regional problem. Regardless of our ideals we should all combat IS as well as the PKK, they are both terrorist entities,” he added.
Iraq’s foreign minister warned that Daesh sleeper cells are growing in numbers.
“We need to take the initiative first in exchanging views and information about (the Daesh group’s) latest operations and especially their expansion not only on the Syrian borders with Iraq and Jordan but also their expansion in the Syrian land,” said Hussein.


Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza

Palestinian children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, during Ramadan, in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, during Ramadan, in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip.
Updated 09 March 2025
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Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza

Palestinian children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, during Ramadan, in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza Strip.
  • Sunday’s announcement comes a week after Israel cut off all supplies of goods to the territory to over 2 million people
  • Gaza has been largely devastated by the war, and generators and solar panels are used for some of the power supply

JERUSALEM: Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza. The full effects of that are not immediately clear, but the territory’s desalination plants receive power for producing drinking water.
Sunday’s announcement comes a week after Israel cut off all supplies of goods to the territory to over 2 million people. It has sought to press Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire. That phase ended last weekend.
Hamas has pressed to start negotiations on the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase instead.
Gaza has been largely devastated by the war, and generators and solar panels are used for some of the power supply.