Amnesty International calls on Lebanese government to grant jurisdiction to ICC – JURIST
Amnesty International released a statement on Monday prompting the Lebanese government to grant the International Criminal Court (ICC) the jurisdiction to investigate the potential war crimes in Lebanon during the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli government.
It has been one year since the deadliest day in the conflict between the Lebanese-based political group, Hezbollah, and the Israeli government. On September 23, 2024, at least 553 people were killed in Lebanon from Israeli air strikes. Amnesty stated that many Lebanese civilians who had homes in this area are still not able to return due to the ongoing danger created by the conflict. The group called for the Lebanese government to help its civilians obtain justice and reparations for their continued exile, stating:
[T]he Lebanese government must break the cycle of inaction and pursue justice for all victims and the suffering inflicted upon them. The government must urgently grant the ICC jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes under the Rome Statute committed on Lebanese territory since October 2023, including by acceding to the Rome Statute. By failing to join the ICC, the Lebanese government is knowingly blocking a vital path towards international justice.
The statement concluded with another call for third party states, especially the United States, to suspend arms transfers to Israel to limit their use in perpetuating crimes of war.
Despite an international call for a cease fire and a subsequent agreement by both parties in November 2024, this call to action by Amnesty comes just after news surfaced on Monday that the Israeli government fired a drone targeting a Hezbollah position in southern Lebanon, which killed five people, including children.
