The enigma of the Israeli soldier who fled Brazil

Accused of war crimes in Gaza, Israeli soldier, target of investigation in Brazil, hurriedly embarks for Argentina with support from the Israeli embassy in Brasília

An Israeli soldier who was on vacation in Brazil, investigated by order of a Brazilian judge on suspicion of war crimes against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, left Brazilian territory towards Argentina, as reported by the local press, based on information provided by the government of Israel.

The soldier in question, Yuval Vagdani, 21, was enjoying the beaches of Morro de São Paulo, in Bahia, when he was the target of an investigation request by judge Raquel Soares Charelli. The judge ordered the Federal Police to conduct the investigation.

The justification for the action is that Brazil is a signatory to international treaties that allow war crimes to be investigated, even if they occurred outside its borders.

Reports indicate that Vagdani boarded a commercial flight departing from Salvador, capital of Bahia, bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina, last Saturday or Sunday.

As reported by Brazilian media, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported, in a statement, that its embassy in Brasília provided assistance to the soldier to ensure his “quick and safe departure” from the country.

The complaint against the soldier was filed in December, when his presence in Brazil was detected, by lawyers hired by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Belgian organization that works internationally in denouncing crimes against humanity, crimes of war and human rights violations related to Palestine.

The petition alleges that the soldier participated in the destruction of a residential block in Gaza, in December, using explosives outside of combat situations, in the context of a systematic “destruction” campaign led by the 432nd Battalion of the Givati ​​Brigades, in the Gaza Strip. .

“These acts are part of a broader effort to impose unbearable living conditions on Palestinian civilians, which constitutes genocide and crimes against humanity under international law,” HRF stated.

According to information on the magazine’s website Capital Letterwhen contacted to comment on the case, the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond, recommending that questions be directed to the Ministry of Justice, as it is a “judicial investigation”.

With information from Xinhua*