|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The anti-Israel organization Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a criminal complaint in Germany against former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, accusing him of war crimes committed during the 2008–2009 Gaza conflict known as “Operation Cast Lead.”
The complaint was filed with both the General Public Prosecutor’s Office in Berlin and the Federal Public Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe, demanding an immediate investigation and the issuance of an arrest warrant for Olmert.
Olmert, who served as Israel’s prime minister during the 22-day military offensive, was in Berlin on Thursday to attend the Haaretz Democracy Conference.
HRF alleges that under his leadership, Israel’s military carried out “indiscriminate bombardments” of civilian areas in Gaza, leading to the deaths of more than 1,300 Palestinians, including over 300 children and 115 women.
Operation Cast Lead, often referred to as the first Gaza war, was launched in late December 2008 following escalating rocket fire from Hamas-controlled Gaza. The Israeli government described the campaign as an act of self-defense, but international organizations later accused both Israel and Hamas of committing violations of international law.
HRF’s complaint cites reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that alleged Israel deliberately targeted civilians and engaged in collective punishment. It also references the 2009 United Nations Fact Finding Mission, known as the Goldstone Report, which initially condemned both Israel and Palestinian armed groups for potential war crimes.
However, HRF omitted mention of Judge Richard Goldstone’s 2011 Washington Post article in which he partially retracted the report’s original findings, stating that new evidence indicated civilians were not intentionally targeted by Israeli forces as a matter of policy.
The foundation’s complaint lists a series of alleged crimes, including the use of white phosphorus, extrajudicial killings, destruction of UNRWA facilities, and obstruction of humanitarian aid. It argues that Olmert, as head of government at the time, bears “personal responsibility” for these actions.
“The victims of Gaza deserve justice, no matter how much time has passed,” said Dyab Abou Jahjah, HRF’s general director. “Those responsible for war crimes must know that accountability has no expiration date and that the world is closing in on impunity.”
While Germany’s universal jurisdiction laws allow for the prosecution of war crimes committed abroad, it remains uncertain whether prosecutors will act on the complaint. Similar cases filed by pro-Palestinian groups in Europe have historically been dismissed due to insufficient evidence or political sensitivities.
Olmert has not responded publicly to the allegations, but he has previously defended Israel’s conduct during Operation Cast Lead as a legitimate response to years of Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
The case now adds to the growing number of legal efforts in Europe targeting Israeli officials over past military operations in Gaza, reflecting ongoing international scrutiny of Israel’s wartime policies.
