JNS
The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed lawsuits against at least 28 IDF soldiers in eight different countries during "Operation Iron Swords."
An investigation by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs reveals the inner workings of the campaign targeting Israeli soldiers in both hostile and non-hostile countries, orchestrated by the Hind Rajab Foundation.
The foundation was established in September in Brussels as a nonprofit organization named after a Palestinian child allegedly killed by the IDF during "Operation Iron Swords." The foundation is a branch of the March 30 Movement, which has been active for more than three decades in legal warfare against IDF soldiers, headed by two Lebanese-born activists: Dyab Abou Jahjah and Karim Hassoun.
The foundation collects publicly available information online about IDF soldiers, including details about military operations they participated in, aiming to prosecute them in foreign countries.
The foundation's achievements during "Operation Iron Swords" are impressive. So far, it has filed lawsuits against at least 28 soldiers in eight different countries. But that's not all—the organization has submitted information to the International Criminal Court about alleged war crimes supposedly committed by more than a thousand soldiers and officers during operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
Beyond gathering information, researchers at the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs say the organization publishes information about IDF soldiers staying abroad, to compromise their safety. The foundation also filed a complaint against Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans who were attacked antisemitically in the Netherlands on Nov. 5, claiming they "attacked pro-Palestinians and were documented making calls inciting violence against Palestinians and Arabs."
The foundation is seeking to hire a law firm in Thailand specializing in laws of war and international humanitarian law to handle cases involving IDF soldiers in the country. In early January, they filed a motion against an IDF soldier staying in Thailand for alleged war crimes. This is in addition to law firms working with the foundation worldwide. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs believes the foundation will increase its activities in the coming period through partnerships with local law firms globally.
Abou Jahjah, who was born in Southern Lebanon and acquired Belgian citizenship through marriage, is a former recognized Hezbollah activist who was charged by Belgian police in 2002 for involvement in violence.
Hassoun has served since 2005 as chairman of the Arab European League, which is dedicated to "helping Muslim integration in Europe," and previously published a cartoon suggesting Jews fabricated the Holocaust. He holds Belgian citizenship as well.
Hassoun was involved in 2002 in a lawsuit filed against then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a Belgian court for allegedly committing war crimes due to the Sabra and Shatila massacres in Lebanon, when Christians slaughtered Palestinians.
During "Operation Iron Swords," Abou Jahjah worked to sue Yonatan Ben Hamo, an IDF soldier with Dutch citizenship, and other soldiers in a Dutch court for "involvement in war crimes and violating Dutch law through attacks on civilians in Gaza."
Abou Jahjah declared in an interview (Dec. 27, 2023) with Belgium's La Libre newspaper that he would also work to sue Israeli soldiers with Belgian citizenship in local courts. Additionally, he has asked his social media followers to hunt down IDF soldiers of Dutch or other European origin to pursue legal proceedings against them.
Due to Hassoun's support for terrorism and antisemitism, Belgian politicians have called to exclude him from the ruling coalition. In an article cited by the politicians, Hassoun appears wearing a Hezbollah hat, and evidence was presented showing he expressed support for the Lebanese terrorist organization and praised Samir Kuntar, the murderer of the Haran family in Nahariya in 1979.
In 2009, Hassoun signed a petition calling on European Parliament candidates to remove Hamas and other "Palestinian liberation organizations" from the terrorism list and recognize Hamas as a legitimate voice of Palestinian liberation aspirations.
Hassoun has frequently praised acts of terrorism on social media and wrote just last month, "I condemn Hamas for taking only 100 hostages instead of 500 or 1000."
In another post (Sept. 15, 2023), he condemned a publication by the Islamic Fatwa Council against Hamas human rights violations, writing, "The Fatwa Council serves Zionist, American and Western interests, they are a bunch of Islamic regime cheerleaders, it doesn't matter if Hamas is considered Muslim or not as long as it opposes occupation [i.e. Israel] we stand by it and pray for it."
An Israeli tourist fled Brazil recently after a federal court authorized a criminal investigation into his actions as a soldier in the Gaza Strip, after a complaint was filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation.
Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said in a statement: "The findings from our ministry's research expose the true face of the 'human rights' organization Hind Rajab Foundation, led by clear Hezbollah activists who support terror. It's sad but not surprising that Lula's [President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's] hostile government in Brazil adopted the unfortunate conclusions of this dubious organization whose face was exposed today, but Lula doesn't represent the spirit of the Brazilian people, who mostly love Israel and despise terror organizations. I thank my friend, [Brazilian] House Representative Eduardo Bolsonaro, who joined the fight against terror supporters."
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
