Lebanon Backtracks on ICC Jurisdiction to Probe Alleged War Crimes

Lebanon has reversed a move to authorize the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged war crimes on its soil, prompting a prominent rights group to deplore what it called the loss of an "historic opportunity" for justice.
Lebanon has accused Israel of repeatedly violating international law since October, when the Israeli military and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah began trading fire in parallel with the Gaza war. Israeli shelling has since killed around 80 civilians in Lebanon, including children, medics and reporters, said Reuters.
Neither Lebanon nor Israel are members of the ICC, so a formal declaration to the court would be required from either to give it jurisdiction to launch probes into a particular period.
In April, Lebanon's caretaker cabinet voted to instruct the foreign ministry to file a declaration with the ICC authorizing it to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes on Lebanese territory since Oct. 7.
Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib never filed the requested declaration and on Tuesday the cabinet published an amended decision that omitted mention of the ICC, saying Lebanon would file complaints to the United Nations instead.
Lebanon has regularly lodged complaints with the UN Security Council about Israeli bombardments over the past seven months, but they have yielded no binding UN decisions.
Habib did not respond to a Reuters question on why he did not file the requested declaration.
A Lebanese official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the initial cabinet decision raised "confusion" over whether a declaration would "open the door for the court to investigate whatever it wanted across different files".
The official said the request to revisit the decision came from George Kallas, a cabinet minister close to parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Amal movement that is allied with the politically powerful Hezbollah.
Since October, Hezbollah and Amal have both fired rockets into Israel, killing 10 civilians, according to the Israeli army, and displacing around 60,000 residents near the border.
Contacted by Reuters, Kallas confirmed he requested a review of the cabinet's initial decision but denied it was out of fear Hezbollah or Amal could become subject to ICC arrest warrants.
Human Rights Watch condemned the cabinet's reversal.
"The Lebanese government had a historic opportunity to ensure there was justice and accountability for war crimes in Lebanon. It's shameful that they are forgoing this opportunity," said HRW's Lebanon researcher Ramzi Kaiss.
"Rescinding this decision shows that Lebanon's calls for accountability ring hollow," he told Reuters.
Information Minister Ziad Makary, the government spokesman, said that he had backed the initial decision and would "continue to explore other international tribunals to render justice" despite the reversal.
Lebanon backtracked a few days after the ICC requested arrest warrants over alleged war crimes for Israel's prime minister and defense minister and three Hamas leaders.
The initial push to file an ICC declaration came from MP Halima Kaakour, who holds a PhD in public international law. She recommended the measure to parliament's justice committee, which unanimously endorsed it. Cabinet approved it in late April.
"The political parties that backed this initiative at first seem to have changed their mind. But they never explained the reason to us or the Lebanese people," Kaakour told Reuters.
"Lebanon's complaints to the UN Security Council don't get anywhere. We had an opportunity to give the ICC a period of time to look at it, we have the documentation - if we can use these international mechanisms, why not?"

More than 60 people have been killed and over 250 injured in airstrikes by the Sudanese military on the town of Kouma in North Darfur. This incident is being described by observers as one of the “largest massacres” of civilians since the conflict began.

Dozens more have died in separate attacks targeting the areas of Meilit, Wad Abu Saleh, and Um Duwain in Khartoum, with increasing calls for a ban on military flights by the Sudanese army.

Witnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that the military targeted Kouma’s market on Friday morning, dropping explosive barrels that caused widespread destruction. Many victims were shopping at the bustling “Friday market,” and the death toll is expected to rise due to a lack of medical care for the injured.

The attacks are viewed as deliberate assaults on civilians, particularly since there were no Rapid Support Forces (RSF) present in the crowded market. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with bodies scattered throughout the area.

In Meilit, airstrikes also targeted a wedding celebration, killing about 13 people and injuring others. Activists and eyewitnesses deny the presence of the RSF in these locations, despite military claims that air operations are directed at them.

Political and human rights groups have condemned the escalating airstrikes and called for an immediate ban on military flights in Darfur.

The Civil Democratic Forces Coordination (Tagadum) stated that the Kouma market attack was a severe violation against civilians, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

The group expressed concern about ongoing violations against civilians in Sudan and highlighted the need for international attention to protect innocent lives. They urged the warring parties to cease hostilities and engage in negotiations to end the conflict.

Lebanon Backtracks on ICC Jurisdiction to Probe Alleged War Crimes