2 days ago
Two Israelis questioned for war crimes after waving flags at music festival
Two Israelis were questioned by police over alleged war crimes after waving a military flag at a music festival in Belgium.
Prosecutors said the pair were Israeli soldiers and that they had asked police to locate and interview them after a complaint by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a Belgian pro-Palestinian organisation.
The HRF said it identified the two among the crowds at Tomorrowland, a dance music festival in Antwerp, and that they were 'responsible for grave international crimes' in Gaza.
It said they had been waving a flag of the Givati Brigade, an Israeli infantry unit that has seen extensive action during the war in Gaza.
The unit has been 'extensively documented for its role in the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza and for carrying out mass atrocities against the Palestinian population', the group claimed.
'The Givati flag, publicly displayed in the heart of Belgium, is not just a military symbol. It has become, for millions, a symbol of impunity, destruction and ethnic cleansing,' it said.
Israel's foreign ministry confirmed that the pair, who it said were a civilian and a soldier, were detained on Sunday before being questioned and released shortly after.
'The foreign ministry and the IDF handled the matter and are in contact with the two,' it said.
A clear show of force
Belgium's prosecutor's office said it took action as courts in the country have extraterritorial jurisdiction over alleged war crimes.
'No further information will be given at this stage of the investigation,' the office said, without naming the two men.
The HTF said the 'suspects were identified and arrested with a clear show of force at the Tomorrowland festival', describing the incident as a potential 'turning point in the global pursuit of accountability'.
'This development is a significant step forward,' HRF said, as it 'signals that Belgium has recognised its jurisdiction under international law and is treating the allegations with the seriousness they deserve.
'And to states watching around the world: universal jurisdiction is not just a principle – it is an obligation.'
Filed 1,000 similar complaints
The HRF has filed around 1,000 similar complaints in eight different countries since the war began, according to Israeli media. In response, the Israeli military told its soldiers to limit their social media use.
In February 2025, Yuval Vagdani, an IDF soldier, had to be evacuated from Brazil after the HRF initiated legal proceedings against him, saying he was involved in the destruction of homes in the Gaza Strip.
Also in February, Haroon Raza, a co-founder of the foundation, said: 'It's our responsibility, as far as we are concerned, to bring the cases.'
It is then up to authorities in each country, or the International Criminal Court, to pursue them, he added.
Eden Bar Tal, the director general of Israel's foreign ministry, called the actions a PR stunt. 'It's sponsored by this very low number of entities that have direct connections to terrorist organisations,' he said.
Videos showed numerous Israeli flags
Tomorrowland is the world's largest electronic music festival and attracts around 400,000 people a year. Videos posted to social media from the event showed numerous Israeli flags among the crowds.
Hebrew media reported that Israelis were filmed engaging in conversations with Palestinians wearing keffiyehs.
Israeli Ronen Levi, 34, is due to attend the festival's second weekend this week but the event has left a sour taste. 'Belgium at the best of times doesn't feel like a safe place for Jews and now it feels even worse. Music festivals are supposed to be full of love and this just taints things.'
Belgium's King Philippe described the war in Gaza as a 'disgrace to humanity' in a speech on the eve of national day on Sunday.
'I add my voice to all those who denounce the serious humanitarian abuses in Gaza, where innocent people are dying of hunger and being killed by bombs while trapped in their enclaves,' the monarch said.
'The current situation has gone on for far too long. It is a disgrace to all of humanity. We support the call by the United Nations Secretary-General to immediately end this unbearable crisis.'
