The Palestinian Arab Federation (Fepal, in Portuguese) said on Sunday (05) that the Israeli embassy in Brazil violated the country’s sovereignty and took measures to facilitate the escape of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier Yuval Vagdani. He was in Morro de São Paulo, in the state of Bahia, and was identified by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), which denounces crimes against Palestinians.
The HRF filed a complaint against the Israeli soldier in Brazilian courts, accusing him of war crimes. According to the foundation, Yuval Vagdani engaged in the demolition of a residential neighborhood in Gaza in November last year. The houses in this neighborhood provide accommodation for people displaced by the conflict.
On December 30, Brazil’s Federal Court ordered an investigation into the soldier. Last Friday, the Brazilian courts sent the case file to the Federal Police. Although the crimes were not committed in Brazil, as a signatory to international treaties such as the Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute, the country has a legal responsibility to take the appropriate judicial measures in cases like this.
An Israeli website stated that the soldier had left Brazil, but did not say whether he had returned to Israel or was in a neighboring country. According to the Times of Israel, quoted by the Brazilian news website Metrópoles, a friend of Yuval Vagdani reportedly received a communiqué from the embassy about his arrest request.
Ualid Rabah, president of Fepal, says the Israeli embassy may have facilitated the soldier's departure from the country and that this action violates Brazil's national sovereignty. For the Palestinian representative, the Brazilian government should call “the Israeli ambassador for consultations and expel the entire Israeli diplomatic corps.”
“We think that Brazil should also investigate the escape route, because it could have been through Paraguay and Argentina, two countries that are, once again, sheltering war criminals. We think that Brazil should consider the list the HRF published so that it has the names and identities of these criminals in its files. When they happen to set foot on Brazilian soil, they should be captured immediately,” said the president of Fepal.
Fepal also classifies the Federal Court's decision to investigate the Israeli soldier as correct but has also suggested that an internal investigation be carried out to find out if there was any action or omission by Brazilian public agents in the soldier's departure from the country.
Brasil de Fato emailed the Israeli embassy, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, and the Federal Police but has not received a reply.
Following the publication of this news story, the Israeli embassy in Brazil replied to our e-mail. In a statement, it said, “The petitioner represents a foreign organization and is cynically exploiting the legal system to foment an anti-Israel narrative both globally and in Brazil”. It also explained that “for more than two decades, a global campaign has targeted Israel and the IDF soldiers using legal accusations to advance political goals.”
