Rights lawyers call for Netanyahu’s arrest on Argentine soil

Human rights lawyers have filed a criminal complaint in Argentina’s federal courts calling for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country, amid speculation of a possible visit in September that remains unconfirmed.

The complaint, reviewed by Reuters, also demands an investigation into Israeli political and military authorities over an incident on March 23, in which 15 people, including first responders assisting bombing victims, were executed, according to the filing.

Argentine lawyer Rodolfo Yanzon and Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, jointly submitted the complaint, alleging Netanyahu’s responsibility as a “co-perpetrator” of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“It is understood that Netanyahu is criminally responsible as a co-perpetrator of the war crime of intentionally causing death by starvation; of crimes against humanity such as homicide, persecution, and other inhumane acts,” the complaint stated.

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Reports earlier suggested Netanyahu was expected to visit Argentina in September, though the government has yet to confirm.

Argentina’s daily Clarin reported Friday that the Israeli leader may instead seek a meeting with President Javier Milei in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

This is not the first such legal move in Argentina. In early August, the Association of State Workers (ATE) and the human rights group HIJOS had already filed a separate request for an arrest warrant against Netanyahu.

The Israeli prime minister faces mounting international scrutiny over Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza, which has killed thousands of Palestinians and displaced the majority of the enclave’s population.