2 Israelis briefly held in Belgium after activists urge their arrest for ‘war crimes’

Two Israelis visiting Belgium for the Tomorrowland festival were detained for questioning after an activist group that seeks to have Israelis prosecuted for alleged war crimes called for their arrests, it was announced Monday.

According to the Belgian public broadcaster, the two, who were apparently seen at the dance festival waving the flag of the Israel Defense Forces’ Givati Brigade, were released after questioning.

One of the two Israelis said they were beaten by police. “The officers hit us, we got blows to the face,” one of the unnamed men told Channel 12 news. “They took us to a secret police station in the compound.”

The Foreign Ministry confirmed the pair’s detention in a statement, adding that the ministry and the IDF “handled the matter and are in contact with the two.”

It was unclear whether the two were still in Belgium.

Belgium’s RTBF reported that the two were detained after a complaint was lodged by the Hind Rajab Foundation and Belgian federal prosecutors determined that they could have jurisdiction on the matter.

Launched in September, the Hind Rajab Foundation has used social media posts by Israeli soldiers, officers, and reservists to locate them in an attempt to have them arrested for alleged war crimes when they travel abroad.

Though the group has been largely unsuccessful in court, it has managed to win widespread media exposure, allegedly caused an Israeli cabinet minister to rethink a trip abroad, and even prompted the IDF to create new rules to better protect troops’ privacy and keep them from being victims of doxxing — the practice of publishing someone’s personal information online to expose them.

On Saturday, the foundation urged Belgian authorities to arrest two people it said were IDF soldiers responsible for “war crimes and genocide” in Gaza who were attending Tomorrowland.

The two individuals “are directly implicated in some of the most egregious crimes committed during Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza,” the organization said.

Among those crimes, it said, were indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, the use of torture and human shields, arbitrary detention, and violations of the Genocide Convention — all charges that Israel denies.

Givati has been deployed extensively amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which began when the Hamas terror group attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

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 Hind Rajab organization 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,” said the organization.

???? BREAKING ????
The #hindrajabfoundation and @GLAN_LAW have filed urgent legal complaints in #Belgium:
Two Israeli war criminals responsible for crimes in #GazaGenocide are attending the @tomorrowland festival. Givati flag waved.
Belgium must Act now!
More ⬇️… pic.twitter.com/C0eMu1zJDC

— The Hind Rajab Foundation (@HindRFoundation) July 19, 2025

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world attend Tomorrowland’s annual music festival near the Belgian town of Boom.

The event attracts many Israeli music fans, with videos on social media showing multiple national flags in the crowd, particularly for the set by Israeli trance DJ duo Vini Vici. Yellow flags calling for the release of the hostages held in Gaza, many of whom were taken from the Nova festival on October 7, 2023, were also seen.

The European Jewish Association criticized Belgian authorities for acting on what it called a politically motivated complaint.

“These soldiers were carrying out their lawful duties in defence of their country, duties comparable to those of any soldier serving in a democratic nation,” the association said in a statement.

Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.