The Hague / 04-03-2026
The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) participated in the recent meeting of the Hague Group in The Hague, where representatives of 42 states gathered to discuss concrete measures to address the ongoing atrocities in Palestine and to advance accountability under international law. HRF was represented by a delegation led by our founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, who addressed the session of states and called for immediate legal action against perpetrators of international crimes.
In his intervention, Abou Jahjah reminded participating states that the legal framework necessary to pursue accountability already exists and imposes clear obligations.
“Every state here has the domestic legal tools as well as the international legal obligation—stemming from Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Genocide Convention, the Convention Against Torture, and numerous ICJ rulings—to exercise universal jurisdiction and to prosecute these soldiers while they are within your territory.
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This statement underscores a central reality often obscured in political debates: the issue is not the absence of law but the absence of enforcement. International law already mandates that states prosecute grave breaches of humanitarian law when suspects are present within their jurisdiction. Universal jurisdiction exists precisely to prevent war criminals from escaping justice by crossing borders.
The Hind Rajab Foundation has been actively utilizing this legal principle by submitting requests for prosecution against Israeli soldiers suspected of involvement in crimes committed in Gaza when they travel abroad. Such cases require rapid action from national authorities, as suspects often attempt to leave jurisdictions quickly once legal complaints are filed. In several instances, Israeli authorities have even facilitated the removal of suspects from foreign countries to shield them from investigation.
The HRF Delegation to the Hague Group meeting from left to write, HRF U.S. representative Jake Romm, General Director Dyab Abou Jahjah, Director of Operations Karim Hassoun
However, as Abou Jahjah emphasized during the session, this is only one dimension of HRF’s legal strategy.
“The core of our work revolves around dual nationals… nationals from numerous states, including some of the states in this room, have gone to Israel to commit genocide.
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This observation shifts the focus from traveling suspects to a much deeper structural issue. The genocide in Gaza has not been carried out solely by Israeli nationals. Individuals holding citizenship in numerous countries have joined Israeli military units participating in operations that have devastated Palestinian civilian life.
Unlike cases based on universal jurisdiction, where legal action depends on the suspect being physically present within a state’s territory, states retain permanent jurisdiction over their own citizens. This means governments already possess the authority to investigate and prosecute their nationals suspected of involvement in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide, regardless of where those crimes were committed.
Since September 2024, HRF has been compiling extensive dossiers documenting the alleged involvement of dual nationals in atrocities committed in Gaza. These files include open-source intelligence, testimonies, and other forms of evidentiary material that can support future prosecutions.
During the meeting in The Hague, Abou Jahjah made clear that the time has come for states to act.
“States cannot denounce the Israeli genocide of the Palestinians while simultaneously allowing their own citizens to participate in the same genocide which they so forcefully condemn.
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The significance of this statement lies in its exposure of a fundamental contradiction within current international responses. Many governments have publicly condemned the scale of destruction in Gaza, yet have taken little to no action against their own citizens who participated directly in military operations responsible for that destruction.
Addressing this contradiction is essential if international law is to retain any credibility.
States must begin identifying nationals who served in Israeli military units operating in Gaza and open investigations into their possible involvement in international crimes. In some jurisdictions represented within the Hague Group, joining a foreign military without official authorization already constitutes a criminal offense. In such cases, legal proceedings could begin immediately, even before broader investigations into war crimes or genocide are completed.
The discussions in The Hague also touched on practical measures that could assist in identifying suspects. Proposals included disclosure requirements and enhanced screening procedures for travelers arriving with Israeli travel documents or from Tel Aviv. HRF welcomed these initiatives but emphasized that administrative measures alone are insufficient.
If travelers falsely deny participation in military operations, they must face investigation not only for immigration violations but also for the international crimes they may be attempting to conceal. Justice cannot be reduced to bureaucratic formalities.
Another critical point raised by HRF concerns the misuse of extradition as a supposed solution. Returning suspects to Israel does not guarantee accountability and, in many cases, risks placing alleged perpetrators back into the same operational environment where the crimes occurred. Genuine accountability requires independent investigations and prosecutions by states willing to enforce international law.
Following the session of states in The Hague, a public gathering took place in Amsterdam bringing together activists, legal experts, and civil society representatives. The Hind Rajab Foundation was represented at that meeting by our U.S. representative, Jake Romm, who addressed the audience about the growing international movement demanding accountability for crimes committed in Gaza.
“Even though the law is clear, political will remains lacking. ”
Romm said.
“That is why conferences like this one are so important: this political will must stem from popular movements and civil society; people of conscience must lead the way. People everywhere have the responsibility to mobilize to pressure their governments to act. ”
He added.
The dedication and diversity of the organizations present in Amsterdam as well as the outpouring of popular support for our efforts demonstrates that the movement for Palestine is truly global and will continue make itself heard in every country around the world until its demands are met: an end to the genocide, accountability for the perpetrators, and a free Palestine.
These developments reflect a broader shift in the global political landscape.
The genocide in Gaza has exposed a profound crisis within the international system. For decades, the so-called “rules-based order” was presented as a framework capable of regulating armed conflict and protecting civilian populations. Yet the scale of Israeli impunity and complicity witnessed in Gaza has shattered the credibility of that claim.
Whether that order can be restored remains uncertain.
What is emerging instead are new alignments among states and civil society actors seeking to rebuild international law on firmer foundations. The Hague Group represents one such development. While many of its leading members come from the Global South, the initiative is not limited to any single geopolitical bloc. It is an attempt to create a coalition of states willing to translate legal principles into concrete action.
This effort stands in sharp contrast to alternative initiatives now being promoted under the banner of peace. Recent proposals such as Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” seek to centralize authority over Gaza’s future within structures dominated by geopolitical power rather than international law.
Such frameworks are reproducing dynamics of domination and control.
A genuine peace cannot emerge from imperial management.
Peace must instead be grounded in accountability, justice, and the consistent application of international law. In this sense, the Hague Group has the potential to become more than a diplomatic forum. It could represent the foundation of a renewed international legal order—one built not on selective enforcement but on the universal principle that no perpetrator of mass atrocities is beyond the reach of justice.
The law already exists. The evidence continues to grow. The victims demand accountability.
What remains is the political will to act.