PRESS RELEASE, April 10, 2026
Lebanon calls for ratification of the Rome Statute
On April 1, 2026, Lebanese, regional and international civil society organizations called on the Lebanese government to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for crimes committed on Lebanese territory since October 8, 2023.
The association of Lawyers for the Respect of International Law (JURDI) supports this appeal and advocates for the ratification of the Rome Statute in order to end the impunity of international crimes committed by the State of Israel on Lebanese territory.
The extension of the conflict to the Middle East underlines the urgency for the Lebanese state to recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in order to allow the opening of investigations and prosecutions relating to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on its territory by the Israeli army.
This is one of the only credible hopes for Lebanese victims to have access to justice and to see the perpetrators of these crimes prosecuted internationally. Furthermore, this step could encourage the Lebanese justice system to try the perpetrators of these crimes itself in the future.
Between October 8, 2023, and March 2, 2026, relentless Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory resulted in the deaths of at least 4,000 people and injured more than 16,000. The victims were overwhelmingly civilians, including particularly vulnerable groups (children, women, the elderly, and internally displaced persons) and those specifically protected under international humanitarian law (the wounded, the sick, medical personnel, and journalists). These attacks caused massive population displacements and continue to prevent the return of displaced persons.
Since March 2, 2026, the major escalation following the Israeli-American offensive against Iran has already caused the death of more than 1,500 people in Lebanon and caused the displacement, according to UNHCR data, of more than 1.2 million individuals, or 1 in 5 inhabitants.
These daily attacks have too often aimed at the mass destruction of essential infrastructure, housing and villages, fulfilling the intention expressed by the Israeli government to occupy southern Lebanon.
In this context, it is incumbent upon the Lebanese government to take the necessary legal measures without delay. Ratification of the Rome Statute, or at the very least, the filing of a declaration with the International Criminal Court recognizing its jurisdiction—under Article 12(3) of the Statute—is an essential and indispensable step to guarantee, among other things, access to justice for the victims of these crimes. It is the historical responsibility of the Lebanese government to end the cycle of impunity that Israel has enjoyed for far too long.
The association of Lawyers for the Respect of International Law (JURDI) recalls that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (and its tragic regional consequences such as those affecting Lebanon) is constantly fueled by the persistent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of international crimes for decades, thus hindering any prospect of a real and lasting peace.
–
View the full document