Brussels-based activist Dyab Abou Jahjah has filed a complaint against an Israeli minister following a threatening message on the social media platform X.
Abou Jahjah is a Belgian-Lebanese citizen who founded the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) after 7 October to pursue members of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza using open source information.
The HRF recently filed a complaint against an Israeli soldier in Brazil who was previously active in Gaza and was on holiday there. A Brazilian judge issued an arrest warrant for the soldier, who narrowly escaped to Argentina on Sunday. The foundation has since filed a complaint there as well. The situation is causing a stir in Israeli media and politics.
The Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli has since engaged with Abou Jahjah online, referencing Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah and linking Abou Jahjah to the militia.
The Israeli government minister Amichai Chikli openly threatened me. This is a blatant act of terrorism and incitement. I will be filing a lawsuit against him. What a hallucinating sense of impunity. pic.twitter.com/zd1TwKoHHm
— Dyab Abou Jahjah (@Aboujahjah) January 6, 2025
"Hello to our human rights activist. Keep an eye on your pager," he posted on social media in response to a post by Abou Jahjah. Israel claimed responsibility for the pager attack in Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah members and killed 12 people including two children in September, injuring thousands more.
Jahjah has since announced that he is suing Chikli.
"The Israeli government minister Amichai Chikli openly threatened me," he said. "This is a blatant act of terrorism and incitement. I will be filing a lawsuit against him. What a hallucinating sense of impunity."
'Threatening someone is illegal'
Abou Jahjah, who has a history of activism in Belgium, is meeting with his lawyer on Tuesday afternoon to decide on further steps.
"Belgium is a country that abides by the rule of law," he told Belga News Agency. "Threatening someone is illegal, regardless if you are an Israeli minister or not. Chikli's tweet clearly referred to the execution of Lebanese civilians. This is coming from someone in [Benjamin] Netanyahu’s party. The situation is serious."
Jahjah said he has previously received warnings from Belgian security services. "They advise to avoid fixed routines, using certain apps and not dining out. This is impossible. I am a teacher. I am used to threats from certain quarters, but this is on another level. In addition, I am now a father. This affects me emotionally, but it will not stop my activism."
