Over 50,000 Foreign Nationals Serving in Israeli Military, Data Reveals

More than 50,000 soldiers currently serving in the Israeli military hold at least one other citizenship, with the vast majority carrying US or European passports, according to newly released data obtained through Israel’s Freedom of Information Law.

The figures, compiled by Israeli NGO Hatzlacha and shared with Al Jazeera by legal counsel Elad Man, represent service members enlisted as of March 2025—17 months into Israel’s devastating military campaign in Gaza that has killed at least 72,061 Palestinians since October 7, 2023.

US Citizens Lead by Wide Margin

American passport holders dominate the list, with 12,135 soldiers holding US citizenship—nearly double the next highest nationality. An additional 1,207 soldiers possess another passport alongside their US and Israeli documentation.

French nationals comprise the second-largest contingent, with 6,127 citizens serving in the Israeli ranks. Russia follows closely with 5,067 soldiers, while Ukraine contributes 3,901 and Germany 1,668.

The data reveals significant numbers from other nations as well: 1,686 soldiers hold Brazilian citizenship, 1,686 hold British-Israeli dual nationality (with 383 more holding an additional passport beyond these two), 609 are Argentine, 505 Canadian, 181 Mexican, and 112 Colombian. Notably, 589 South Africans—whose government brought a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice—are also serving.

The Israeli military clarified that soldiers holding multiple citizenships are counted more than once in the breakdown. With approximately 169,000 active personnel and 465,000 reservists, nearly eight percent of the total force possesses dual or multiple nationalities.

Legal Exposure Grows for Dual Nationals

The revelation carries significant legal implications, as rights organizations worldwide intensify efforts to prosecute foreign nationals for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Many soldiers have posted videos of their actions on social media, providing potential evidence for prosecutors.

Ilias Bantekas, a professor of transnational law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera that dual nationality offers no shield from prosecution. “War crimes incur criminal liability under international law, irrespective of what the law of nationality says,” he stated, drawing parallels to Nazi Germans tried after World War II.

However, Bantekas acknowledged the practical challenge: “The major issue in prosecuting the accused is getting [them] on your territory and putting them before a court.”

Legal Actions Already Underway

Cases have already been filed in multiple jurisdictions. In the UK last April, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the Public Interest Law Centre submitted a 240-page report to the Metropolitan Police implicating 10 British individuals in offenses including murder and attacks on humanitarian personnel.

In Germany, proceedings target a 25-year-old Munich-born sniper from the “Refaim” unit, documented shooting near Gaza’s al-Quds and Nasser hospitals. Similar cases against Refaim members are progressing in France, Italy, South Africa, and Belgium, where prosecutors opened an investigation into a 21-year-old Belgian-Israeli citizen last October.

Lawyers note that Israel’s mandatory military service exempts dual nationals residing abroad, meaning those serving have done so voluntarily—a distinction that could strengthen liability in foreign courts.

The UK Foreign Office has established a clear position: “Allegations of war crimes should be submitted to the Met Police for investigation.” Whether those investigations will lead to arrests and prosecutions remains an open question, but the legal groundwork is being laid.