Human rights organizations criticized the Lebanese government yesterday for retracting its decision to accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the "crimes" that Lebanon accuses Israel of committing in the south. According to Legal Agenda, a non-governmental organization focused on legal research and rights advocacy campaigns, some significant political forces in the cabinet, particularly Hezbollah, were not entirely satisfied with the government's decision made last April to accept the ICC's jurisdiction for investigating and prosecuting all crimes committed on Lebanese territory since October 7, 2023, as reported by "Nada al-Watan".
The agenda pointed out that concerns about the potential use of the international court, due to pressure or intimidation against Hezbollah leaders or officials in the Lebanese state, outweighed any hope within the Lebanese government regarding the court's ability to provide justice for victims. Aiya Majdoub, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's regional office for the Middle East and North Africa, told "France Press" that their initial optimism following the Lebanese government's decision to grant the ICC jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes committed on Lebanese territory has turned into great disappointment.
Furthermore, Lamia Faki, Director of Human Rights Watch for the Middle East and North Africa, stated that the retraction of the decision is inconsistent with what we have heard from government officials about the need for accountability, according to "Nada al-Watan."
