Hind Rajab Foundation calls on top prosecutor to investigate Ben Gvir ahead of NYC visit

What Happened

On 3 July 2025, the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), in partnership with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), sent a letter to New York State Attorney General Letitia James, urging her to open a criminal investigation into Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir. Ben Gvir is scheduled to attend the Chiefs of Police Summit in Manhattan on 7–8 July. The groups accuse him of multiple crimes under New York Penal Code, citing his distribution of gun permits and weapons to settlers in the occupied West Bank, 'direct incitement to genocide' in Gaza—where over 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October 2023, according to HRF—and encouragement of deadly settler violence. HRF also called for the creation of an 'Atrocity Crimes Accountability Task Force' and urged James to meet with local victims, including a Palestinian American who was allegedly starved and tortured in Israeli prison and 10 participants in the 2025 and 2026 Global Sumud Flotillas who claimed abuse by Ben Gvir.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The request marks a significant effort to hold a senior Israeli official accountable in a foreign domestic court, circumventing what HRF describes as impunity reinforced by the Trump administration. A New York investigation could set a legal precedent for transnational atrocity crime prosecutions and increase judicial pressure on Israeli policies, particularly as the Gaza war death toll remains contested and settler violence continues. The move tests the political will in a jurisdiction where Mayor Zohran Mamdani and recent primary candidates have been critical of Israel, potentially signaling a shift in US local-level engagement with the conflict.

Watch For

New York AG Letitia James's decision on whether to open an investigation or meet with the alleged victims ahead of or during Ben Gvir's visit on 7–8 July. Any legal filings or statements from the AG's office, Ben Gvir's attendance at the Chiefs of Police Summit, and potential protests or countersuits. Reactions from the Israeli government, the Trump administration, and international human rights bodies; follow-up actions by HRF and CCR if James declines.