IDF officer flees Cyprus fearing arrest on war crimes charges

A reserve officer in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has fled from Cyprus to avoid “legal pursuit” on war crimes charges. According to Israel Hayom, Elisha Livman was on holiday with his wife in Cyprus but left after the Belgian Hind Rajab Foundation published video clips of him fighting in the Gaza Strip. In one of the clips, he says, “We will not stop until we burn all of Gaza.”

Livman received an urgent call from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which met with the Ministry of Justice, and decided that the officer must leave Cyprus immediately before he is accused of committing war crimes and genocide.

The Hind Rajab Foundation website explained that the organisation had filed a formal complaint with the Cypriot authorities in which it “provided extensive evidence against Livman, including video footage showing him setting fire to a civilian home and property in Gaza.” The foundation also referred to the Israeli officer’s posts on social media during his visit to Cyprus, where he incited violence against a Lebanese restaurant.

It has also filed a complaint against 1,000 Israeli soldiers with the International Criminal Court, on charges of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, in addition to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Yedioth Ahronoth pointed out that Livman shared the fact that he and his wife were travelling to Cyprus for a holiday. “This announcement became the basis for pro-Palestinian organisations, including the Belgian group March 30, to seek an arrest warrant. The group tracks Israeli soldiers with the intent to prosecute them in Europe for alleged war crimes.”

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