Moroccan court to try Israeli soldier over alleged war crimes
A court case against an IDF soldier on holiday may well spark a trend preventing others ever leaving Israel, or dual nationals returning to their home countries.
A court in Morocco is preparing to try an Israeli soldier, Moche Avichzer, for alleged war crimes committed during Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, according to the New Arab. Avichzer, who was arrested while on vacation in Marrakesh, has had charges filed against him by Moroccan lawyers. The lawsuit was accepted by a court in Rabat, which classifies the accusations as terrorism-related.
Lawyer Najia El-Hadjaji, part of the legal team, has said that the case was initially dismissed by Marrakesh’s Attorney General before being escalated to the capital’s court. Avichzer had reportedly served in Gaza for three months before leaving for Morocco, where he posed as a musician performing in tourist spots.
The lawsuit argues Avichzer’s involvement in the Gaza war included acts of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and other war crimes, which he allegedly boasted about on social media. He had posted himself in military gear in Gaza on his Instagram, but these posts were deleted after they caused a public uproar.
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The Moroccan Front Against Normalisation is a local organisation that has called and rallied for his arrest and trial for war crimes. Jamal Bahar, a member of the organisation, has said that his presence in the country has sparked public outcry.
Demonstrations against Morocco’s normalisation with Israel, which was signed in 2020, took place in late July. Protests have continued weekly since then.
The lawsuit against Avichzer cites Moroccan and international laws that define his actions as terrorist acts. It cites three legal provisions: Article 1-711 of the Moroccan Code of Criminal Procedure, which permits the prosecution of any Moroccan or foreigner for terrorist crimes committed outside Morocco if they are found within the country; Article 1-218 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which covers crimes including deliberate assault on individuals’ lives, safety, or freedoms; and, Article 1-1-218 also includes joining or attempting to join terrorist groups, regardless of their form or location. The case also includes nine images from social media and reports from the Moroccan Observatory for Anti-Normalisation which documented his visit and the following controversy it caused.
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“Whether the request is met or not is something we will leave to time”, said Abelssamad Taaraji, one of the seven lawyers behind the lawsuit.
The New Arab
