‘Left to Fight Alone’: Israeli Veterans Face Foreign War Crimes Probes Without State Help

Jerusalem, 10 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- As a growing trend of governments collecting evidence of war crimes by their citizens serving in the Israeli military in Gaza, there is no formal support from the Israeli government for servicemen in the legal crosshairs.

Most recently, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed on Wednesday they were collecting “relevant information” about the activities of Canadian nationals that may support future investigations “of genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.” Belgium and Brazil have opened formal investigations, while in France, pro-Palestinian non-governmental organizations have filed civil complaints.

“There is currently no official framework in Israel to provide support in such cases,” Maurice Hirsch, a former IDF military prosecutor and senior legal analyst, told The Press Service of Israel. “Unfortunately, the request for help are often unanswered, and the soldiers are left to fight on their own.”

Hirsch, who has been in contact with individuals targeted by these foreign probes, warns that an emerging trend is placing former soldiers in a precarious legal position abroad.

“There’s a unit in the Justice Ministry that’s supposed to help in these matters,” he noted, “but their services are extremely limited. People simply fall through the cracks.”

Canadian authorities, Hirsch says, have long adopted a hostile stance toward Israel.

“The Canadians have been hostile to Israel for quite some time… They hold the view that Israel violates the laws of war and commits war crimes,” he said.

What once was a concern mostly for potential immigrants — young Canadians joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and later seeking citizenship or residency abroad — is now extending into active legal action.

“They’re not just screening applicants anymore. They’re going after Canadian citizens who served in the IDF and asking: What exactly did you do there?”

According to Hirsch, the strategy is not necessarily legal — it’s psychological.

“The goal is to instill fear and intimidation in Canadian citizens who consider serving in the IDF, so that they’ll be afraid to return home.”

The legal basis for most of these cases is thin at best, he said.

“Most of the investigations are based on videos uploaded online — usually lacking context, sometimes filmed by soldiers themselves, foolishly recording their actions.”

When approached for comment, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit referred inquiries to the Foreign Ministry. Requests for clarification from the ministry went unanswered.

Similarly, Defense Minister Israel Katz’s office did not return requests for comment and the chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Yuli Edelstein, did not respond.

Genocide Accusations ‘A Moral Failure’

At the core of some of these investigations lies the claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, an accusation that one genocide scholar bluntly rejected.

“Accusing Israel of genocide is not just a factual distortion — it’s a profound moral failure that undermines the very ability of the international community to recognize and respond to real genocides, like the one happening right now in Sudan,” Dr. Yoav Heller, a historian who specializes in the Holocaust, told TPS-IL.

“Genocide means the victims cannot stop what’s being done to them. In Gaza, Hamas can stop the war tomorrow by laying down its arms and releasing the hostages. That’s not genocide. That’s war initiated by a terror organization,” Heller explained.

While some Israeli officials have made controversial remarks, Heller stresses that these do not reflect actual military policy.

“I don’t deny that some Israeli ministers have made reckless, even outrageous statements. But the actual conduct of the war is guided by legal advisors and international law. There is no Israeli policy to destroy the population of Gaza.”

Weaponizing the term “genocide” serves a calculated goal, Heller warned.

“Using the term genocide against Israel serves a strategic goal: to delegitimize its right to self-defense and fuel international pressure, while turning Gazans into permanent political pawns.”

Back in Israel, there is growing concern that while these legal and political attacks escalate, even low-ranking soldiers with minimal operational roles will be swept up in legal action.

“Some were serving as office designated drivers, for example, and now suddenly they’re war crimes suspects — just because they served in the IDF,” Hirsch said.

“To this day, no dedicated government mechanism has been established to defend these discharged soldiers facing prosecution abroad,” he reiterated. “Once they’re discharged — they’re simply left to fight alone.”

At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 55 remaining hostages, 33 are believed to be dead.