Anti-Israel organization files war crimes complaint in Germany against former Israeli PM Olmert

The anti-Israel organization Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) formally filed a criminal complaint in Germany on Wednesday against former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

The activist organization, which accuses Olmert of leading “indiscriminate bombings” during Israel’s 2008-2009 Cast Lead Operation in Gaza, seeks a travel ban on the former Israeli prime minister. 

The complaint, which was submitted to the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe, claims that “Under Olmert’s leadership, the Israeli government and military high command executed a large-scale military campaign that resulted in the indiscriminate bombardment of densely populated civilian areas, the destruction of hospitals, schools and UN facilities, and the killing of more than 1,300 Palestinians, among them over 300 children and 115 women.”

The HRF complaint argued that the former prime minister, Olmert "bears command responsibility" and accused him of failure to investigate and punish alleged crimes in Gaza. 

The complaint failed to mention that the terrorist organization Hamas has in violation of international law systematically used Gazan civilians as human shields and used schools, hospitals and residential buildings as military bases against Israel. 

The anti-Israel organization demanded that German authorities issue an arrest warrant and prevent Olmert from entering Germany. The former prime minister is reportedly scheduled to attend an event in the German capital Berlin on Thursday. 

“The victims of Gaza deserve justice, no matter how much time has passed. Those responsible for war crimes must know that accountability has no expiration date and that the world is closing in on impunity,” the Hind Rajab Foundation said in an official statement. 

The Hind Rajab Foundation has stepped up its legal warfare activities against the Jewish state since the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

In January, the organization filed a complaint in Sweden of alleged “war crimes” against an Israeli soldier who was visiting the Scandinavian country. 

"He may leave the country soon, we demand his immediate arrest," the HRF said. 

“According to eyewitnesses and journalists, civilians – including women and children – were killed in such actions,” the anti-Israel organization claimed. The organization argued that the IDF soldier who serves in the Nahal Brigade had participated in a military operation in the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Israel has provided factual documentation that Hamas has used the Shifa Hospital as a military base alongside other Gazan hospitals. 

The HRF legal warfare against Israel is designed to isolate it in the international arena. By January 2025, the anti-Israel organization had filed at least 12 formal complaints against Israeli soldiers worldwide including countries such as Sweden, Ireland, Brazil, Thailand the Netherlands, France, South Africa, Belgium and Cyprus. 

While officially describing itself as a human rights organization, the HRF focuses exclusively on targeting Israel. 

In January, the Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli wrote on 𝕏 that the HRF is far “from being a human rights organization.”

“The founder of the organization Dyab Abou Jahjah is a Lebanese-born activist who has previously declared ties to Hezbollah,” Chikli wrote on 𝕏. “In 2002, Abou Jahjah was charged by Belgian authorities with involvement in violent activities,” the minister continued. 

He referred to the 9/11 attacks as “sweet revenge.”

"Due to his extreme activities, British authorities barred him from entering the UK in 2003,” Chikli added.