(Bloomberg) -- A Brazilian court ordered federal police to open an investigation into a visiting Israeli soldier for alleged war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip.
A Federal Court judge in Brasilia issued the order on Dec. 30 in response to a request by Brazilian lawyers acting on behalf of the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgium-based organization. The Israel Defense Forces soldier was allegedly involved in war crimes during the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the complaint.
The Israeli soldier left Brazil after the order was issued, according to the embassy. Brazil’s Federal Police didn’t respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.
Israel’s embassy said the group is “cynically exploiting legal systems to foster an anti-Israel narrative both globally and in Brazil, despite knowing full well that the allegations lack any legal basis.” Israeli operations in Gaza are conducted “in full compliance with international law,” the embassy said in a statement.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
“The fact that an Israeli reservist was forced to flee Brazil in the dead of night to avoid being arrested for fighting in Gaza is a huge political failure by an irresponsible government that simply doesn’t know how to work,” Lapid said in a post on X.
An Israeli lawmaker allied with Netanyahu rebuked Brazil.
“Instead of pursuing terrorists, it is pursuing an IDF soldier,” Dan Illouz of the governing Likud Party said on X. “An unforgivable disgrace. Israel will not sit idly by in the face of the persecution of its soldiers, and if Brazil does not mend its ways – it will pay a price.”
Israel began its military operation in Gaza after Hamas — designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union — launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Hamas killed about 1,200 Israelis and took about 250 hostage when it invaded Israel. Of the 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, about 40 are believed to be dead.
Israel’s military response has killed over 45,500 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and militants.
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