DayofPal– Amid mounting international calls to investigate and arrest Israeli soldiers accused of Gaza war crimes, the Israeli news outlet Ynet has unveiled a detailed guide for soldiers seeking to avoid arrest while traveling abroad.
The guide serves as a roadmap for soldiers navigating the legal risks of international travel in an increasingly watchful world.
Titled “Here’s How to Act if Arrested Abroad and What to Check Before Flight,” the guide features expert advice from Nick Kaufman, a seasoned defense lawyer at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
He says that “Any detained Israeli – whether a civilian or a soldier – is entitled to consular assistance”.
“Soldiers who post videos online provide hostile organisations with potential evidence to support suspicions against them,” he warns.
Describing videos of Israeli soldiers singing “racist songs” as “seemingly minor content”, he advises soldiers to “avoid posting photos or videos from their service, especially content showing destroyed buildings, even if there’s a military justification.
The guide also urges soldiers and military officers to seek advice from international criminal law experts before embarking on any trip, cautioning that even seemingly friendly nations like the UK, France, and Spain might make arrests.
Adding to the gravity of the warning, it highlights that no insurance policy will shield soldiers from the consequences of arrests linked to alleged criminal activities abroad.
The guide move came after the Israeli soldier Yuval Vagdani fled Brazil last week to evade arrest over accusations of war crimes.
The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a pro-Palestine advocacy organization, filed a criminal complaint last week against the soldier in Brazil accusing him of involvement in the Israeli military’s systematic demolition of civilian homes in Gaza.
In a statement, the HRF accused Israel of orchestrating his departure to obstruct justice, adding that “there are also indications that evidence is being destroyed”.
Last month, the Israeli military advised dozens of soldiers against travelling abroad after reportedly tracking around 30 war crimes complaints and legal actions targeting its personnel for their roles in atrocities in Gaza. The complaints were filed against Israeli soldiers in South Africa, Sri Lanka, Belgium, France and Brazil.
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