Responding to the news that the French War Crimes Unit has opened a judicial investigation into a deadly November 2024 Israeli strike on a civilian building in central Beirut, following a legal complaint filed by French-Lebanese artist and filmmaker Ali Cherri and the International Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International’s Regional Director Heba Morayef said:

The opening of this judicial investigation by the French War Crimes Unit is a critical, long-overdue step towards making a dent in the wall of pervasive impunity enjoyed by Israeli forces for war crimes committed in Lebanon.

Heba Morayef, Amnesty International

“The opening of this judicial investigation by the French War Crimes Unit is a critical, long-overdue step towards making a dent in the wall of pervasive impunity enjoyed by Israeli forces for war crimes committed in Lebanon.

“For victims and their families, this case offers a rare and vital avenue for truth, justice, and long-awaited accountability through a European…