France To Try Syria's War Criminals

Syrian defendant Anwar Raslan (2nd R), 57, accused of crimes against humanity, in the first trial of its kind to emerge from the Syrian conflict, arrives at court, in Koblenz, Germany June 4, 2020. Thomas Lohnes/Pool via REUTERS
Syrian defendant Anwar Raslan (2nd R), 57, accused of crimes against humanity, in the first trial of its kind to emerge from the Syrian conflict, arrives at court, in Koblenz, Germany June 4, 2020. Thomas Lohnes/Pool via REUTERS
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France To Try Syria's War Criminals

Syrian defendant Anwar Raslan (2nd R), 57, accused of crimes against humanity, in the first trial of its kind to emerge from the Syrian conflict, arrives at court, in Koblenz, Germany June 4, 2020. Thomas Lohnes/Pool via REUTERS
Syrian defendant Anwar Raslan (2nd R), 57, accused of crimes against humanity, in the first trial of its kind to emerge from the Syrian conflict, arrives at court, in Koblenz, Germany June 4, 2020. Thomas Lohnes/Pool via REUTERS

France has made an important step in the fight against impunity for the perpetrators of international crimes committed in Syria and throughout the world.

The National Assembly passed a bill to authorize the approval of the international judicial cooperation agreement between the French Government and the United Nations Organization, represented by the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) for Syria. The bill was referred to the Senate for examination.

Parliamentary sources ruled out any difficulty in obtaining the approval of the Senate in the next few days, noting that the French Constitution stipulated that in case of disagreement, the last say would go to the National Assembly.

The French Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice issued a joint statement, which noted that the agreement “will allow information to be transmitted from French courts to the Mechanism (MIII), which is not possible under current law.”

“It is thus in keeping with the priority France attaches to the fight against impunity for the perpetrators of international crimes,” it stated.

The statement read: “In 2015, the Foreign Ministry reported to the Paris State Prosecutor, on the basis of Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, atrocities likely to have been committed by the Syrian regime... The documents passed on enabled the Paris Prosecutor’s Office to open a preliminary investigation into “crimes against humanity”, relying in particular on photographs taken in military hospitals between 2011 and 2013 by “César”, a Syrian former military photographer. More than 40 investigations and judicial inquiries on Syria are currently underway in France.”

It added: “In a ruling of 24 November 2021, the Court of Cassation deemed it necessary for the definition of an offense comparable to that in French law (evidence of “an attack against a civilian population in fulfillment of a concerted plan”) to exist in Syrian law in order to recognize French courts’ extraterritorial competence with regard to international crimes.”

The statement noted that the relevant French ministries would closely monitor forthcoming judicial decisions.

“Depending on those decisions, our ministries stand ready to swiftly set out the changes, including legislative changes that should be made to enable France to continue resolutely fulfilling its steadfast commitment against impunity for international crimes,” it underlined.



Israel Pounds Central Beirut, Suburbs after Major Evacuation Warnings

A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin
A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin
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Israel Pounds Central Beirut, Suburbs after Major Evacuation Warnings

A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin
A damaged building is pictured through the wreckage of a vehicle, in the aftermath of Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, Lebanon November 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin

Israel mounted waves of pounding airstrikes in Beirut on Tuesday as its security cabinet discussed a ceasefire deal in Lebanon with its Hezbollah foes that could take effect as soon as Wednesday.

A senior Israeli official and Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib appeared optimistic a deal could be reached, clearing the way for an end to a conflict that has killed thousands of people since it was ignited by the Gaza war last year.

Despite the possibility of an imminent diplomatic breakthrough, hostilities raged as Israel sharply ramped up its campaign of air strikes in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, with health authorities reporting at least 18 killed.

Israeli warplanes launched repeated strikes across Beirut throughout Tuesday, mostly in the southern suburbs that are a stronghold for Iran-backed Hezbollah.

A single cluster of strikes in Beirut that Israel's military said included attacks on 20 targets in just 120 seconds killed at least seven people and injured 37, Lebanon's health ministry said.

Israel also gave advance notice for the first time of strikes in the central Beirut area, a significant escalation of its campaign in the capital that sparked panic among residents with some fleeing north.

Strikes also targeted Tyre, in the south, and Baalbek, in the east.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the air force was conducting a "widespread attack" on Hezbollah targets across the city.

Hezbollah has kept up rocket fire into Israel and has previously said it would respond to attacks on central Beirut by firing rockets at Tel Aviv. Sirens sounded in northern Israel and the Israeli military said five projectiles were identified coming from Lebanon.

Hezbollah launched some 250 rockets on Sunday in one of its heaviest barrages yet. The northern Israeli city of Nahariya came under more rocket fire overnight.

‘Dangerous hours’

A Hezbollah parliament member in Lebanon, Hassan Fadlallah, said the country faced "dangerous, sensitive hours" during the wait for a possible ceasefire announcement.

With Israel's security cabinet meeting to discuss the deal, which a senior Israeli official had said was likely to be approved, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he would speak on Tuesday evening at 8 pm (1800 GMT). A government official said the cabinet meeting had started.

Israeli approval of the deal would pave the way for a ceasefire declaration by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, four senior Lebanese sources told Reuters on Monday.

The ceasefire could come into effect on Wednesday morning, triggering a 60-day truce, a Western diplomat said.

However, there was no indication that a truce in Lebanon would hasten a ceasefire and hostage-release deal in devastated Gaza, where Israel is battling Palestinian group Hamas.

The agreement requires Israeli troops to withdraw from south Lebanon and Lebanon's army to deploy in the region, officials say. Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the border south of the Litani River.

Bou Habib said the Lebanese army would be ready to have at least 5,000 troops deployed in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops withdraw, and that the United States could play a role in rebuilding infrastructure destroyed by Israeli strikes.

Israel demands effective UN enforcement of an eventual ceasefire with Lebanon and will show "zero tolerance" toward any infraction, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday.