The Hind Rajab Foundation, an organization dedicated in recent years to pursuing international legal proceedings against IDF soldiers and Israeli public officials, submitted a formal petition on Tuesday to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) demanding criminal prosecution against Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King ahead of his scheduled visit to the United States on August 31.
In its petition, the NGO alleges that King has been involved in the “unlawful transfer” of Arabs from eastern Jerusalem and “incitement to genocide.” The filing claims that through his municipal role and as the founder of the Israel Land Fund (ILF), King actively worked to evict Arab residents from properties in eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods to advance Jewish settlement. These allegations represent claims by the organization that have neither been reviewed nor accepted by American legal authorities.
The foundation cited King’s public initiatives in the Sheikh Jarrah (Shimon HaTzadik) and Silwan (Shiloah) neighborhoods, as well as past public statements regarding the war in Gaza and the UNRWA agency. The NGO claimed certain remarks meet the threshold for criminal incitement under U.S. law, urging the DOJ to initiate an investigation and pursue an indictment.
The action targeting King is part of a broader, systemic lawfare campaign waged by the Hind Rajab Foundation against Israeli military personnel and elected figures worldwide. The campaign regularly files cross-border legal complaints and requests for arrest warrants across various jurisdictions, frequently relying on social media posts and media appearances. Despite the proliferation of these legal filings, the vast majority have failed to advance into formal criminal proceedings. In June, the same organization similarly petitioned the U.S. Department of Justice demanding legal action against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir during a planned visit to the United States.