IDF reservist's Cyprus vacation cut short after pro-Palestinian NGO tried to have him arrested

A reserve officer serving in Israel Defense Forces traveled to Cyprus with his wife to celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary. 

However, what began as a romantic getaway quickly escalated into a harrowing legal ordeal, with the IDF officer finding himself at the center of a Foreign Affairs Ministry operation to evacuate the couple swiftly from the Greek island.

A Belgian organization, the Hind Rajab Foundation, filed a complaint with the Cyprus Police against the Israeli reservist, specifically accusing him of war crimes in Gaza. Israeli authorities discovered the threat of his potential arrest and acted swiftly to facilitate his departure from the island.

The Hind Rajab Foundation is a pro-Palestinian non-governmental organization named in memory of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in January 2024 during the conflict in Gaza City.

The IDF stated that their deaths resulted from an accidental tank shelling of the family's vehicle. Relatives of the family claim that Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics who arrived to assist were also killed in the incident.

The organization describes itself as a foundation “devoted to breaking the cycle of Israeli impunity and honoring the memory of Hind Rajab and all those who have perished in the Gaza genocide.” 

After spotting pictures of the IDF officer on vacation in Cyprus, the group matched his face to video footage of him in Gaza. In one of the videos, he can be heard saying, “We won’t stop until we burn all of Gaza.” 

The NGO issued a complaint to Cyprus police, accusing the officer of war crimes. 

After returning to Israel, the reservist, whose name has not been released, told Israel Hayom, “I would have appreciated it if the country had given us simple guidelines in advance – don’t post on social media when you’re abroad.” The IDF and Israel's National Security Council (NSC) currently do not offer specific guidance to soldiers on this matter.

The officer and his wife traveled to Cyprus after Israel lifted its travel warning against visiting Greece.

“We won’t forget this anniversary,” the reservist said in messages to friends, which were shared with Israel Hayom. He called it “one of the most stressful experiences of my life.” 

He warned other reservists planning to travel abroad. 

“Keep traveling and enjoying yourselves, but don’t reveal your destination. Human rights organizations are following us and waiting to catch us abroad. It could end in a serious complication,” he cautioned. 

The Foreign Ministry released a statement about the case, following Israel Hayom’s coverage of the story. 

“Following an attempt by the ‘30th of March Movement’ – a pro-Palestinian organization that aims to target Israelis abroad – to bring about the arrest of an Israeli reservist in Cyprus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acted immediately, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, and ensured the safe return of the Israeli citizen to the country,” the statement read.