Belgium opens war crime probe into Brussels man fighting for Israel in Gaza

The Belgian prosecutor said Friday it has launched an investigation into possible war crimes committed by a Belgian soldier fighting for Israel in Gaza.

The federal prosecutor office said that the probe focuses on Belgian member of an elite unit of the Israeli military. According to multiple media reports, the man is a dual Belgian-Israeli citizen in his 20s from the Brussels municipality of Uccle who serves the Israeli army in the “Refaim” sniper unit.

The unit, which has been active in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, consists of 21 people, including three Americans, two French, a German, an Italian and the Belgian man under investigation.

The Belgian probe, which was officially opened on Wednesday, comes after an investigation by Palestinian journalist and Bellingcat contributor Younis Tirawi, who accused the Refaim sniper unit of “brutal execution of unarmed civilians.”

Tirawi said he received information from an American soldier in a lead position in the unit, who provided evidence that the unit was shooting at civilians even if they were not armed and did not pose any danger.

Belgium’s Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt said on Thursday that the Belgian probe sought to verify the information published in the press. “Israel has the right to self-defense, but that does not exempt it from its obligation to respect international humanitarian law,” Van Tigchelt told the Belgian parliament.

The Belgian-Palestinian association (ABP) filed a criminal complaint on Thursday against the man asking the Belgian authorities to carry out the investigation “diligently.”

“This will help to end the impunity of criminals, as the impunity they enjoy fuels their subsequent crimes,” the association said in a statement.

“The ABP calls for the Belgian justice system to participate in the work of international justice alongside international courts. The Belgian justice system has an obligation to act when Belgians are perpetrators or victims of crimes under international law.”

The Israel Defense Forces did not immediately respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.