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A British court has thrown out an attempt by a pro-Palestinian legal group to prosecute a dual British-Israeli citizen for serving in the Israeli military, ordering the group to pay costs after the judge ruled the case was "fundamentally misconceived in law." The decision, handed down in April at Westminster Magistrates' Court, marks the collapse of the first private prosecution attempt by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) against an IDF reservist.

Coverage comparison

The case has been covered primarily by The Jerusalem Post, which reported extensively on both the court ruling and the defendant's subsequent account. Both articles emphasize the ICJP's failure, quoting Judge Paul Goldspring's criticism of the application and the group's conduct. The first report, published in June 2026, focused on the legal reasoning and the judge's rebuke. The second, published days later, gave voice to the defendant—identified only as "Soldier A"—who described himself as "low-hanging fruit" in what he called a publicity stunt.

The two reports are consistent on the core facts: the ICJP applied for a summons in October 2025, the court rejected it in April 2026, and costs were awarded against the ICJP. No other outlets were represented in the coverage provided.

Key claims

The central claims, as reported by The Jerusalem Post across its two articles, are:

  • The ICJP applied for a court summons to prosecute a dual British-Israeli citizen ("Soldier A") for voluntarily serving in the IDF, under section 4 of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870.
  • Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring rejected the application on April 8, 2026, ruling that the FEA does not apply to dual nationals. "For a dual national, service in the armed forces of his other state of nationality is not 'foreign enlistment' in any meaningful sense," he wrote.
  • The judge found the ICJP's case "fundamentally misconceived in law" and also faulted the group for omitting key details and presenting partisan expert evidence. He said the ICJP's "dominant motive" was not the pursuit of justice but "the advancement of a political and ideological agenda."
  • The ICJP was ordered to pay the defendant's legal costs.
  • The defendant, born and raised in London, moved to Israel in 2014 and enlisted in 2017. He was in London on October 7, 2023, but flew back the next day to join his reserve unit.
The Jerusalem Post reported that UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) intervened in the case, arguing that under the British Nationality Act 1981, a British and/or Israeli citizen is not a "British subject" for the purposes of the FEA. UKLFI also noted that successive UK governments have explicitly stated the FEA does not apply to British dual nationals serving in the IDF.

Perspectives

The ICJP's stated aim, as reported, was to use the case as a precedent for holding individuals accountable under domestic law for alleged offenses committed abroad. In an October 2025 statement, ICJP legal chief Mutahir Ahmed described the application as "a significant step in holding suspected war criminals accountable within domestic jurisdictions." He added: "War criminals must be held accountable for their role in the genocide, from the most senior generals to the most junior foot soldier."

The defendant, for his part, told The Jerusalem Post he felt singled out: "I was low-hanging fruit." His lawyers maintained the case was misconceived both in law and fact.

Judge Goldspring's ruling, as quoted, rejected the legal foundation of the case entirely. The court's finding that the ICJP's motive was political rather than legal was a central element of his decision, as was the order to pay costs.

The case has not been independently verified by other news outlets in the material reviewed, and The Jerusalem Post's coverage reflects a perspective sympathetic to the defendant and critical of the ICJP. The ICJP's own response to the ruling has not been reported in the available material.