Hind Rajab Foundation demands US to arrest Ben-Gvir ahead of NYC visit
- The filing comes ahead of Ben Gvir’s planned New York visit.
- HRF says US jurisdiction applies because some alleged victims are US citizens.
- The complaint seeks a criminal investigation and arrest warrant.
The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed an urgent request for criminal prosecution with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) against Itamar Ben Gvir, ‘Israel’s’ Minister of National Security.
The extensive legal filing accuses Ben Gvir of direct involvement in war crimes, acts of genocide, and explicit incitement to genocide.
The petition was intentionally submitted to federal prosecutors ahead of Ben Gvir’s anticipated arrival in New York City, where he is scheduled to attend events on July 7–8, 2026.
Allegations of systemic prison torture
Since his appointment to the security portfolio in late 2022, Ben Gvir has held absolute oversight over the ‘Israel’ Prison Service (IPS), the police, and firearm licensing divisions.
The HRF complaint alleges that Ben Gvir has systematically utilized this ministerial authority to institutionalize a state-sanctioned policy of torture, severe abuse, starvation, and murder across detention centers.
The filing quotes Ben Gvir’s own public declarations on July 2, 2024, where he explicitly stated that one of his primary goals was to “worsen the conditions” of Palestinian detainees and reduce their basic rights to the absolute minimum.
According to documentation compiled by international bodies and NGOs cited in the text, this policy translated into routine beatings, psychological torture, sleep deprivation, and systematic sexual violence.
The filing notes that this environment resulted in at least 46 documented deaths of Palestinians in IPS custody between October 2023 and August 2025. Furthermore, the foundation alleges that Ben Gvir personally participated in and filmed instances of cruel and inhuman treatment.
US jurisdictional trigger: Global Sumud Flotilla
A core pillar of HRF’s argument for American judicial intervention rests on crimes committed against US nationals.
The complaint highlights the actions of the border police under Ben Gvir’s command during the intercept of the Global Sumud Flotillas in both 2025 and 2026.
The humanitarian aid flotillas, which sailed toward Gaza to break the maritime blockade, were boarded by ‘Israeli’ forces in international waters.
The complaint alleges that the civilian participants -including several US citizens- were unlawfully detained and subjected to severe physical assaults, stress positions, denial of vital medicine, and sexual abuse while under the custody of Ben Gvir’s units.
Genocidal rhetoric
The complaint further details how Ben Gvir’s public statements cross the legal threshold into the direct incitement of genocide under federal law.
It points to his public platform being used to classify the entire Palestinian population as targetable entities, his calls for forced displacement from Gaza, and his recent inflammatory remarks regarding neighboring conflicts.
The filing highlights a statement made by Ben Gvir on June 19,in which he declared:
“For every tear of an ‘Israeli’ mother, a thousand Lebanese mothers must weep. All of Lebanon must burn!”
International law test
The Hind Rajab Foundation is requesting that the DOJ immediately activate its national security and immigration apparatus to initiate a formal criminal investigation, issue a warrant for Ben Gvir’s arrest upon entry, and hold him within US jurisdiction in accordance with Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Jake Romm, HRF’s official representative in the United States, framed the filing as a critical juncture for American accountability and the global rule of law:
“This moment is a test: is this government more dedicated to ‘Israeli’ impunity than it is to the rule of law? Is this government more dedicated to protecting war criminal and genocidaire Itamar Ben Gvir than it is to protecting its own citizens? History will record the answer.”
The Department of Justice has not yet issued a public comment regarding the reception or evaluation of the filing.
