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🇮🇱 Israel /Crime & Justice

Israeli lawyer faces ethics complaint over expert opinion used to target IDF reservist in UK

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A British-Israeli IDF reservist has filed an ethics complaint against Israeli lawyer Michal Pomeranz over an expert report used in a UK private prosecution attempt.
  • A Westminster court dismissed the case as legally misconceived, ruling that the Foreign Enlistment Act did not apply to dual nationals, and ordered the organization behind it to pay costs.

An Israeli lawyer faces an ethics complaint after providing an expert report for a UK private prosecution targeting a British-Israeli IDF reservist.

The complaint, filed with the Israel Bar Association’s Tel Aviv District Ethics Committee, concerns attorney Michal Pomeranz and an opinion she submitted on October 18, 2025, in her capacity as a member of the Israeli Bar. The International Center of Justice for Palestinians had asked her to address whether people serving in the IDF could be considered to have enlisted in the Israeli military, and whether the IDF and Israel could be considered to be at war.

fundamentally misconceived in law

· Judge Paul GoldspringThe Westminster Magistrates’ Court judge’s description of the private prosecution application.

The organization sought a summons against the reservist, identified as Soldier A, under Section 4 of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870. Its application, filed on November 6, 2025, was part of an effort that Pomeranz acknowledged could involve at least nine named British citizens who had traveled to Israel for reserve service since October 7, 2023.

egregious

· Judge Paul GoldspringThe judge’s characterization of the organization’s conduct.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court Judge Paul Goldspring rejected the application on April 8, 2026, calling it “fundamentally misconceived in law.” He ruled that the act did not apply to dual nationals and described the organization’s conduct as “egregious” and “inexcusable,” ordering it to pay Soldier A’s costs.

Soldier A argues that Pomeranz’s statement about reservists abroad not being required to return to Israel after receiving an enlistment order was misleading. He says the expert opinion helped facilitate criminal proceedings against him and potentially other dual British-Israeli citizens solely because they served in the IDF.

inexcusable

· Judge Paul GoldspringThe judge’s further criticism of the organization’s conduct.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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