Moroccan court mulling over whether to try Israeli soldier for Gaza war crimes

A Moroccan court is considering whether to proceed with war crimes charges against an Israeli soldier, Moche Avichzer, who is currently in Morocco. Avichzer, who vacationed in Morocco in July and remains in the country, is now facing accusations related to war crimes committed in Gaza, according to a report by The New Arab.

Before arriving in Morocco, Avichzer reportedly posted photos of himself in military gear in front of destroyed Palestinian homes in Gaza on social media. These images attracted attention from groups advocating for Morocco to revoke its normalization of relations with Israel. Morocco and Israel formalized diplomatic ties in December 2020 as part of a deal that included U.S. recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.

Activists staged protests in Marrakesh, calling for Avichzer's arrest and prosecution for alleged crimes committed during his three-month military service in Gaza. On July 29, a group of lawyers filed a lawsuit, accusing Avichzer of committing atrocities such as genocide and ethnic cleansing, which they claim he boasted about in videos showing the killing, burning, and torture of Palestinians.

The Court of Appeal in Rabat has reportedly agreed to review the case under terrorism-related charges. If the case moves forward, it would be the first war crimes trial against an Israeli soldier in North Africa.