Albanian authorities are under pressure to arrest and prosecute the country’s chief rabbi, Yoel Kaplan, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Middle East Eye has exclusively revealed that a case against Kaplan, an Israeli-American citizen and active Israeli soldier, was submitted to Albania’s prosecutor general on Wednesday. Kaplan, who also leads a small Jewish community in Thessaloniki, Greece, has been photographed in Gaza and is seen in videos wearing the uniform of the Israeli army’s 55th battalion, part of the 98th division. The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based rights group, has formally notified Albanian police about Kaplan’s suspected involvement in war crimes, urging an immediate investigation and arrest. Sources in Albania have confirmed Kaplan’s identity as the suspect. The ICJP launched the Global 195 Coalition in March, an international legal network targeting Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Kaplan, who divides his time between Israel, Albania, and Greece, has been active in the military since the conflict began, stating, ‘I’m very active [in the military] and I think it’s the time to be active because if not in this war, when?’ The 98th Division, to which Kaplan belongs, operated in Gaza from December 2023 until at least August 2024, with reports of civilian deaths and widespread destruction in Khan Younis. Kaplan’s battalion was active during incidents where Israeli forces allegedly targeted hospitals, ambulances, and schools sheltering civilians. As a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), Albania is obligated to investigate such allegations. In September 2024, Middle East Eye revealed social media footage of Kaplan celebrating atop a tank amid Gaza’s devastation. Kaplan, a member of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, has aligned himself with hardline settler politics, framing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land as a divine mission. Despite his role as a spiritual leader, Kaplan has dismissed pro-Palestinian protests in Albania as insignificant, claiming government support. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, a decision Kaplan criticized. When questioned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Kaplan repeated disproven Israeli government claims about Hamas stealing aid. Kaplan’s WhatsApp profile picture, showing him leading troops in prayer in Gaza, was deleted after Middle East Eye’s interview. The rabbi has not responded to requests for comment on the legal case against him.