Gaza genocide case: 114 lawyers ask ICC to investigate French officials’ complicity

More than a hundred French lawyers have filed a petition with the International Criminal Court, formally requesting the ICC to initiate an investigation or prosecution of some French officials for their complicity "in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide" by the Israeli regime against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The 56-page petition made public by the French investigative media outlet Blast on Monday named President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu, and 19 lawmakers of the National Assembly's European Affairs Committee as officials of the country facilitating Israeli crimes against Palestinians.

"Far from taking concrete measures to prevent the ongoing genocide against the Palestinians, the members of the French executive cited in this communication have continued to support the criminal actions” of Israel by “providing military, political, economic, diplomatic and propaganda support” including by providing the means to commit the crimes in question, the group of lawyers, who represent the Pour la Justice au Proche-Orient ("for justice in the Middle East") organization, stated in the petition addressed to the Office of the ICC Prosecutor, in the Hague.

The lawyers also slam France for refusing to respect the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), ratified by Paris, which imposes an absolute ban on exporting weapons if they have knowledge the arms could be used to commit war crimes, despite several requests from legal groups and NGOs.

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The petition for legal action by the lawyers is equivalent to a formal criminal complaint to the ICC regarding a crime falling under its jurisdiction.

Now, it is up to the ICC Prosecutor to decide whether the request is in accordance with Article 15 of the Rome Statute, which states that the prosecutor may open proprio motu (which means on their own initiative) investigations based on information relating to crimes within the court’s jurisdiction.

The formal petition asking the ICC to investigate Macron and French ministers for Gaza genocide complicity was signed by 114 French lawyers.

The ICC acts as a court of last resort against individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, or the crime of aggression, complementing national courts in addressing these grave international crimes.

ICC refuses to back down: Netanyahu, Gallant arrest warrant stand despite mounting Israeli-US pressure

The International Criminal Court’s judges uphold arrest warrants for the Israeli premier and his former minister for military affairs.

Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in November 2024.

Israel is accused of using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally attacking civilians and committing other inhumane acts during its genocidal military campaign in the besieged strip.

Israeli forces regularly attack starving Palestinians suffering from acute malnutrition and a severe lack of essential supplies.

Since the US-Israeli genocide started in October 2023, the death toll has reached over 60,100. Over 146,200 Palestinians have also been injured. 

Nearly 1,000 Palestinians have also been killed by Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank since the regime began its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023. 

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