The Hind Rajab Foundation urged Dutch police to investigate and potentially detain the Israeli lawmakers.

By World Israel News Staff

An anti-Israel organization has filed criminal complaints in the Netherlands against two Israeli lawmakers, seeking their arrest should they enter the country to attend an international parliamentary conference.

The complaints were submitted by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Belgium-based organization that has pursued legal action against Israeli officials and Israel Defense Forces personnel traveling abroad.

The group’s founder is a former Hezbollah activist.

The latest complaints target Yesh Atid MK Ram Ben Barak and Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon, both of whom are expected to travel to the Netherlands to participate in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in The Hague.

In a statement announcing the filing, the Hind Rajab Foundation urged Dutch police “to take immediate action to hold these two individuals accountable and to investigate their criminal responsibility for incitement to genocide.”

According to the complaint, Ben Barak and Solomon have “used their positions” to “advocate for policies aimed at the physical destruction and permanent displacement of the Palestinian population in Gaza.”

The filing alleges that Ben Barak promoted policies that would “promote the dissolution of the Palestinian national group in Gaza, preventing its reconstitution and continuity.”

As evidence, the foundation cited remarks Ben Barak made in November 2023 regarding the possibility of third countries accepting civilians from Gaza during the war.

“It is better to be a refugee in Canada than in Gaza,” Ben Barak said at the time, suggesting that countries around the world could each accept approximately 20,000 refugees as part of an international humanitarian effort.

The foundation also alleged that Solomon was “implicated for championing the re-establishment of illegal settlements in Gaza.” However, the complaint did not cite specific public statements by Solomon in support of that allegation.

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The submission described the petitions as an unprecedented attempt to remove a sitting minister through judicial intervention rather than political accountability.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally urged Israel’s Supreme Court to reject petitions seeking the removal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, escalating a legal and constitutional dispute over the limits of judicial authority in shaping the government’s composition.

The filing marks Netanyahu’s first written legal response to the Supreme Court specifically opposing petitions that seek to remove a sitting minister on governance and administrative grounds.

In a filing submitted Sunday morning ahead of a scheduled hearing before a nine-justice panel, Netanyahu argued that the court is being drawn into a political arena it has no legal standing to enter.

The petitions, originally delayed during the war with Iran, are now set to be reviewed on Wednesday after the court issued a conditional order requiring the government to justify why Ben-Gvir remains in office.

At the center of the case are allegations by petitioners that Ben-Gvir has improperly influenced police conduct, including investigations, senior appointments, and the policing of demonstrations.

They argue that his repeated involvement in operational policing undermines the independence of law enforcement and violates prior understandings designed to restrict ministerial interference.

The Supreme Court panel is expected to hear arguments on Wednesday.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara in January asked the Supreme Court to order Netanyahu to explain to justices why he has not removed Ben-Gvir from his position.

Netanyahu’s response, filed through attorney Michael Rabilo, rejects the premise that the judiciary can examine or overturn ministerial appointments.

The submission described the petitions as an unprecedented attempt to remove a sitting minister through judicial intervention rather than political accountability.

“This is an unconstitutional attempt to remove a minister – you do not have any authority,” the filing stated, insisting that decisions on the composition of the cabinet rest exclusively with the prime minister and are subject only to public and parliamentary oversight.

The prime minister further argued that the authority to appoint or dismiss ministers is inherently political and belongs to elected leadership alone.

According to the filing, judicial involvement in such decisions would violate core democratic principles by shifting power from elected institutions to the courts.

The petitions allege that Ben-Gvir has improperly interfered in police operations, including investigations, senior appointments, and the handling of public protests, in ways that compromise the independence of law enforcement.

They argue that this conduct violates previous understandings limiting his authority and undermines basic principles of democratic governance and separation between political leadership and operational policing.

Netanyahu contended that Ben-Gvir’s appointment had been fully approved through Israel’s parliamentary system, including cabinet and Knesset endorsement, and therefore cannot be revisited through judicial review.

He dismissed arguments invoking “reasonableness” as an improper legal basis for intervening in ministerial appointments.

The submission added that individual grievances about ministerial actions should be addressed through existing administrative and legal channels rather than through a broad attempt to strike down an appointment.

It also asserts that a review of the claims against Ben-Gvir did not produce grounds sufficient to justify his dismissal.

According to Netanyahu, some of the allegations raised by petitioners relate to actions taken before Ben-Gvir’s current tenure or reflect conduct consistent with previous officeholders.

The filing further states that in certain sensitive security matters, including policy regarding the Temple Mount, the minister acted in coordination with the prime minister’s office.

The legal challenge has been bolstered by positions previously taken by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who argued that Ben-Gvir exceeded his authority by interfering in police decision-making and weakening institutional independence.

She had earlier reached a framework intended to limit his influence over operational policing, but officials say the arrangement ultimately broke down after repeated disputes over compliance.

Netanyahu, however, has rejected calls for dismissal and accused legal authorities of overreach, arguing that efforts to remove Ben-Gvir lack both factual and legal grounding.

He has also maintained that there is no criminal investigation against the minister that would justify such an extreme step.

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Under the terms of the emerging ceasefire, it is expected that the first 33 hostages to be released will be humanitarian cases — women, children, elderly and sick.

By Sveta Listratov, TPS

Under the terms of the emerging ceasefire, it is expected that the first 33 hostages to be released will be humanitarian cases — women, children, elderly and sick.

Knesset members were divided over an emerging ceasefire and hostage agreement with Hamas on Tuesday. Supporters insisted it was necessary to bring the captives home as soon as possible while critics said the deal threatened Israeli security.

“All our hostages must be returned in one operation,” Likud MK Tali Gottlieb insisted to The Press Service of Israel.

“I’m not debating the cost, and as long as Herzi Halevi remains Chief of Staff [of the Israel Defense Forces], he won’t allow Hamas to be defeated. Instead, he continues with raids rather than conquest and control of enemy territory,” she added.

“So, it has to be all or nothing. No phased releases, no steps. Either everyone returns, or no one does. Hamas can wait for Trump’s presidency, when we will impose such a heavy siege on them that they will beg to return our hostages.”

Opposition Whip MK Merav Ben Ari of Yesh Atid told TPS-IL she supported the agreement.

“The State of Israel must bring all the hostages home, whether for rehabilitation or burial in Israel. The hostages don’t have time. Every day is critical. We must bring them back and end the war in Gaza,” she said.

But fellow opposition MK Yulia Malinovsky of the Israel Beitinenu party told TPS-IL she opposed the agreement.

“Months ago, a comprehensive deal could have been reached to bring all the hostages home, both the living and the dead,” Malinovsky said.

“But the Prime Minister, due to political weakness and personal interests, prevented this. Now we’re talking about a phased deal, with no guarantee that everyone will return. I still believe it’s possible to find a formula that brings everyone back in one operation. I’m crossing my fingers and hope that all our brothers and sisters return home as soon as possible, whether for recovery or burial.”

Coalition MK Ohad Tal of the Religious Zionism party told TPS-IL, “We say no to a deal that leaves most hostages in Gaza, no to a deal that frees murderous terrorists, and no to a deal that rolls back the war achievements for which soldiers gave their lives. But yes to military pressure that will force Hamas into a good deal. Yes to a deal that includes all the hostages, allows Israel to maintain its presence in Gaza, and doesn’t compromise Israel’s security.”

MK Tzvi Sukkot of Otzma Yehudit said the deal “means abandoning hostages who aren’t included in the agreement.” He was referring to reports that 33 hostages — women, children, elderly and sick — will be released while the freeing of other captives will be subject to further negotiations.

“It’s a betrayal of Israel’s security and erases the war’s achievements, paid for with the lives of many soldiers. For every hostage released, we’ll be freeing dozens of terrorists just like Yahya Sinwar, taking Israel back to October 6,” Sukkot insisted.

“This must not happen. If we cut Hamas off from humanitarian aid, implement the Generals’ Plan to clear Gaza of terrorists, and begin annexing Gaza territories, Hamas will beg for a deal and return the hostages without undermining our security or war gains.”

The Generals’ Plan advocates evacuating all civilians from northern Gaza, designating the area as a closed military zone, and forcing the remaining terrorists to capitulate by cutting off all aid, including food and water.

Yesh Atid lawmaker Debbie Biton insisted to TPS-IL, “No excuses, no delays — the hostages must come home. Their lives are more important than any politics or other considerations. Yesh Atid is here to provide a safety net for any deal that saves them. Netanyahu needs to find the courage to finalize the deal he agreed to seven months ago. This is the time to restore hope to the families and act without fear.”

Talks in Qatar aimed at reaching a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas are progressing with an Arab source telling The Press Service of Israel on Tuesday there is a “high likelihood of success.”

According to the source, discussions focus on the release of Palestinian prisoners, with Israel seeking to have those serving life sentences deported to countries such as Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt.

Under the terms of the emerging ceasefire, it is expected that the first 33 hostages to be released will be humanitarian cases — women, children, elderly and sick. Palestinians from northern Gaza who fled to southern areas of the Strip will be allowed to return to their homes.

Israeli forces will not withdraw from the Strip until all the hostages are freed.

Opponents of the agreement are against any deal that does not bring home all the hostages at once.

At least 1,200 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 95 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014.

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