Hind Rajab Foundation Demands US Arrest Israeli Minister Ben Gvir Over War Crimes Allegations

The Hind Rajab Foundation, a legal advocacy organization pursuing accountability for alleged Israeli war crimes, submitted a formal request to the US Department of Justice on Sunday calling for an urgent criminal investigation into Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a figure known for his hardline positions on Gaza and the West Bank.

The foundation’s filing specifically calls for Ben Gvir’s arrest should he set foot in New York City, where he is expected to travel next month. The organization has built a track record of pursuing legal complaints against senior Israeli officials and public figures in jurisdictions around the world, arguing that statements and policy decisions tied to the conduct of the Gaza war meet the threshold for international criminal liability.

Ben Gvir has repeatedly drawn criticism, including from within Israel, for public remarks widely seen as advocating collective punishment against Gaza’s population and for his role in pushing for expanded Israeli control over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Rights groups have also flagged his ministerial oversight of Israeli police conduct in the West Bank as a focal point of concern amid the rise in settler violence documented in the same period.

It remains unclear whether US authorities will act on the complaint. Previous legal actions filed by pro-Palestinian rights organizations against Israeli officials in Western jurisdictions have had mixed outcomes, with several dismissed on jurisdictional or diplomatic-immunity grounds, while others have kept pressure on governments to clarify their stance on accountability for the war.