The Washington Centre (Human Rights) gives serious concern and condemnation after the reported arrest and interrogation of two Israeli people in Belgium that happened on July 20 and 21, 2025. The six men accused of having ties to Israeli military action in Gaza were arrested on the basis of Belgium’s universal jurisdiction scheme- a move which marks a turning point in the international quest of accountability of crimes of war.
It is the reported first attempt to have Israelis directly interrogated in Europe on serious violations of international humanitarian laws in the course of the Gaza war. The committed case followed the complaints filed by the Hind Rajab Foundation and the Global Legal Action Network, which offered publicly available evidence, including one on social media content, linking the involved personalities to possible war crimes resulting in the destruction of civilian property and illegal practices where the Palestinians were detained. Their appearance at a major public event, the Tomorrowland music festival, underscored the impunity with which such individuals may travel without fear of consequence—a reality now challenged by Belgium’s legal system.
The Washington Centre deprecates every action that either targets the civilian population, uses the humanitarian situation as a weapon, or goes against the ideas of proportionality and distinctions inherent to the laws of war. The current situation in Gaza, in which tens of thousands of civilian deaths, many of them women and children since October 2023 could have been prevented through effective protection of human life and dignity in an armed conflict, exhibits a continued inability to protect people in armed conflicts. The international legal institutions have never been put to more serious tests as infrastructure fails to cope with the situation, and whole communities are exposed to starvation and forced migrations.
The initiative by Belgium is a strong precedent in other jurisdictions. It serves as a reminder that a war criminal cannot escape by using diplomatic ploys and is more concerned with justice. National borders or military status should not shield individuals from legal responsibility. This development reveals a growing shift in how domestic legal systems engage with international humanitarian law, moving from passive observation to active enforcement.
The Washington Centre urges governments, international bodies, and civil institutions not to remain passive in the face of mounting evidence of potential war crimes. The credibility of the international legal system depends on consistent and principled enforcement. Any move by anyone or group of people to delegitimize or contend politically with the legal process in Belgium should be strongly decried. Rather, what needs to be stressed is the view that no one can be above the law, no matter their nationality, status, or situation in which the conflict might occur.
We support the victims of this extraordinary warfare and roll our marching flags toward the principles of justice, accountability, and human dignity which are universal and, therefore, unchangeable. What is happening in Belgium is not a legal episode, but a test of whether the world continues to believe in the strength of law to address the most crucial crimes against humanity.