Shachpatz App Launched to Support Israeli Veterans Facing Legal Risks Abroad

Since the October 7, 2023 attacks, pro-Palestinian organizations have compiled allegations of war crimes and other abuses and used them to file complaints against individual Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) veterans when they travel overseas. Shurat HaDin’s founder Nitzana Darshan-Leitner describes this as a “witch hunt,” arguing that the primary goal of many complaints is to obtain a photo of an arrested veteran for propaganda, even if no prosecution follows. The organization says veterans’ social-media posts documenting service or location have been harvested to identify them at airports.

The Jerusalem Post

Shachpatz aggregates government travel warnings from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IDF, embassy and consular contacts, and a checklist covering destination research, social-media precautions, and emergency procedures. Users can report hostile or welcoming experiences, creating a crowdsourced map of safe and risky locales. The platform connects travelers with a “legal war room” of 600 lawyers operating in 17 countries, ready to provide initial assistance and, when needed, coordinate with Israeli diplomatic authorities. Although designed for reservists and former soldiers, Darshan-Leitner says the alerts may benefit any Israeli who faces intimidation or exclusion abroad.

The Jerusalem PostThe Media Line

She urged veterans to avoid posting travel details or passport photos on social media and stressed that calm behavior during questioning is essential. According to her, Shachpatz aims to intervene before a detention escalates, offering step-by-step instructions on what information to disclose and which contacts to reach.

The Jerusalem Post

• “Perhaps the most important thing is to chill out, to be calm, not to freak out,” — Nitzana Darshan-Leitner, founder and president

The Jerusalem Post