Two French judges launched the investigation after the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office identified serious indications that criminal offenses had occurred. The attack hit a 12-storey residential building on 27 November 2024, striking roughly ten and a half hours prior to a ceasefire taking effect between Israel and Hezbollah. Investigators are utilizing external findings from Amnesty International, which uncovered remnants of a US-manufactured GBU-39 precision-guided bomb and observed no military targets nearby. Proceedings remain narrowly focused on the deliberate targeting of Cherri's apartment due to jurisdictional limits regarding foreign nationals.
Key points
French judges are investigating an alleged Israeli war crime in Lebanon for the first tim…: French judges are investigating an alleged Israeli war crime in Lebanon for the first time since operations began in October 2023.
The legal case is restricted to the targeting of civilian property because French courts…: The legal case is restricted to the targeting of civilian property because French courts lack jurisdiction over the deaths of non-French nationals.
The investigation was initiated following a formal complaint filed in April by artist Ali…: The investigation was initiated following a formal complaint filed in April by artist Ali Cherri alongside the International Federation for Human Rights.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Two French judges have opened a judicial investigation into a suspected war crime involving an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Beirut in November 2024 that killed seven civilians, including the parents of Franco-Lebanese artist Ali Cherri.
The probe was launched following a complaint made by Cherri and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in April.
It marks the first time an Israeli army alleged crime in Lebanon has been investigated by the French judiciary since the start of its military operations in October 2023, FIDH and Cherri's lawyer told AFP.
“For almost two years, I have been fighting [...] to ensure that the Israeli bombing that killed my parents and five other civilians does not go unpunished,” Cherri told AFP.
He said the opening of the investigation was “a huge step forward for my family and me, even though we know that the road to justice will still be long and difficult”.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Justices are stepping in after lower courts delivered conflicting rulings on whether the protest group was lawfully designated as a terrorist organization under counterterrorism legislation. The outcome will decide the legal boundaries between political dissent and national security, following nationwide civil unrest and thousands of public arrests. Part of the two-day appeal will take place in secret to examine sensitive evidence.
Justices are stepping in after lower courts delivered conflicting rulings on whether the protest group was lawfully designated as a terrorist organization under counterterrorism legislation. The outcome will decide the legal boundaries between political dissent and national security, following nationwide civil unrest and thousands of public arrests. Part of the two-day appeal will take place in secret to examine sensitive evidence.
The unannounced military action focused on neutralizing missile threats facing American personnel in the Strait of Hormuz amid an eight-month-old conflict. While thousands of additional military personnel and a naval carrier deploy to enforce existing tanker blockades, the confrontation continues to threaten the American economy through rising gasoline prices ahead of critical domestic voting.