A criminal complaint has been filed in Vietnam against an Israeli reserve soldier, accusing him of war crimes, genocide, and incitement to genocide in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. The complaint was lodged with Vietnamese authorities by the Brussels-based human rights organization, the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF). The news agency Anadolu confirmed this information in a report.
The accused soldier is Matan Jerafi. He is the CEO of the Israeli organization ‘Im Tirtzu’ and served in the 920th Infantry Battalion of the Israeli forces’ 769th Brigade.
In a statement, the HRF noted that Jerafi himself documented his direct involvement in the destruction of civilian property in Gaza and southern Lebanon. Evidence indicates that between December 2023 and January 2024, he directly participated in destroying civilian infrastructure in the Shuja’iyya and Rimal neighborhoods of Gaza City, as well as in the Bureij and Maghazi refugee camps in central Gaza. Subsequently, after being deployed to southern Lebanon in October and mid-November 2024, he carried out similar acts of destruction there.
The organization has accused Jerafi of direct and open incitement to genocide. Jerafi has advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, justified attacks on civilians, and opposed the entry of humanitarian aid.
On February 1, 2024, he was quoted as saying, “Gaza’s civilians are part of Hamas. We should not show them mercy.”
HRF Director-General Dyab Abou Jahjah and Head of Litigation Natacha Brac have urged Vietnamese authorities to immediately arrest Jerafi and initiate an investigation in accordance with international law and treaties.
Notably, the human rights organization is named after Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza City on January 29, 2024. This foundation is working to bring Israeli military officials to trial before the International Court.
