March 30 Movement

The March 30 Movement is a Belgian political activist group. Its name is a reference to Land Day, a day of commemoration for Palestinians. It has a legal branch, the Hind Rajab Foundation,[1][2] named in honor of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who was killed by Israel during the Israel–Hamas war in January 2024.[3] The Foundation has as of early 2025 filed multiple lawsuits against people who served in the Israeli military during the war.[1][4][5] The group is headed by Dyab Abou Jahjah[1] and its lawyer is Haroon Raza.[4][6]

History

See also: Hind Rajab Foundation

Since the Israeli invasion of Gaza in October 2023, the Hind Rajab Foundation has filed lawsuits against European soldiers who served in the Israeli military.[7] According to the organization's lawyer Haroon Raza, the group's goal is "to have everyone who is directly or indirectly responsible for war crimes and genocide in Gaza prosecuted and eventually behind bars".[4]

In March 2024, after Israeli president Isaac Herzog announced that he intended to visit the Netherlands, Raza urged Dutch legal authorities to arrest Herzog for his role in the military conflict in Gaza.[1][5][8]

In January 2025, the Foundation filed a case against Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier Yuval Vagdani. Five hundred pages of judicial records, filed with Brazilian courts, allegedly included evidence of Vagdani demolishing a residential block in Gaza outside of combat.[9] Lawyer Maira Pinheiro brought forth the case in Brazil, where Vagdani was vacationing. After the case was initiated, the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that they helped ensure Vagdani's "swift and safe departure" from Brazil to avoid investigation.[10][11][12][13]

In response to the Foundation's efforts, the IDF announced that as of January 2025, it will no longer identify its forces by name in media.[14]

References

1. Mizzi, Oliver (2023-12-29). "Dutch Israeli soldier serving in Gaza to be sued by activist". The New Arab. London. Archived from the original on 2024-12-19. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
2. Gary, Cartwright (2024-12-24). "EUPAC: Pro-Hamas Group Conference at Press Club Brussels Shut Down by Activists". EU Today. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
3. "About Us". THE HIND RAJAB FOUNDATION. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
4. "France: No probe into dual-nationals serving in IDF". The Muslim News. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
5. "President Herzog faces calls for arrest on upcoming Netherlands visit". The Jerusalem Post. 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
6. "Secret Israeli gov't report exposes Dutch anti-Israel sentiment spiraling out of control". The Jerusalem Post. 2024-11-08. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
7. "Pro-Palestine group throws legal noose around dual-national Israeli soldiers". Anadolu Agency. 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
8. Soesan, Joop (2024-03-07). "President Herzog plant een bezoek aan Nederland zondag, maar mogelijk cancelt hij door oproep hem te arresteren van March 30 Movement". Israël Nieuws.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-01-06.
9. "Justiça determina que PF investigue soldado de Israel no Brasil". Metropoles (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2025-01-04. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
10. "Israeli soldiers face growing risk of arrest abroad after serving in Gaza". NBC News. 2025-01-06. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
11. Cordall, Simon Speakman (2025-01-10). "Sense of impunity 'absolute': The NGO holding Israeli soldiers to account". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
12. "IDF soldier who escaped war crimes investigation in Brazil arrives in Israel". The Times of Israel. 2025-01-08. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
13. "Israeli Embassy Helps Army Reservist Flee Brazil to Avoid War Crimes Inquiry". Democracy Now!. 2025-01-06. Retrieved 2025-01-13.
14. Taub, Amanda (2025-01-08). "Israeli Soldiers on Vacation Are Being Investigated for War Crimes in Gaza". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-01-13.