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• By Al Mayadeen English
• Source: The National
• Sept 23. 2026

A French-Lebanese citizen files a war crimes complaint in France over Israeli destruction in southern Lebanon, amid growing calls for accountability.

The complainant, who lives in France and whose identity has not been disclosed, says his property was destroyed as part of “Israel’s” hostilities against Lebanon. His lawyers, William Bourdon and Nicolas Busin of Bourdon & Associés, filed the complaint on Tuesday.

“This is a French citizen asking the justice system of his own country to establish the full truth and deliver justice for the war crimes committed against him, in line with a broader context in southern Lebanon that appears to amount to ethnic cleansing,” Busin said on Tuesday at a conference on corruption and accountability in Beirut.

Read more: Israeli strikes, demolitions intensify across southern Lebanon

Complaint seeks accountability for destruction in southern Lebanon

Busin argued against the Israeli allegation that the complainant’s home in the south was destroyed due to links to the Resistance, stating that his client has no ties to the group and questioned “the complete absence of any military objective” in what happened to the property.

He described the incident as potentially involving “an act of destruction, damage or even theft”, which he said could constitute a war crime.

The complaint seeks to establish the facts, identify those responsible and pursue prosecution.

Busin also claimed that more than 6,000 French citizens serve in the Israeli military, arguing that French nationals should not be involved in d war crimes in southern Lebanon.

The new complaint comes after at least two other cases were filed in France this year over Israeli crimes in Lebanon. In April, French-Lebanese artist Ali Cherri filed a complaint over an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed his parents. In June, another French-Lebanese man filed proceedings after several members of his family were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential building in Sour.

French courts become avenue for Lebanese victims

French jurisdiction provides an avenue for French nationals and dual nationals seeking accountability for international crimes committed outside France. France has previously investigated war crimes and crimes against humanity committed abroad under universal-jurisdiction provisions.

The legal route has taken on greater significance amid the absence of a functioning international accountability mechanism for crimes committed in Lebanon. Lebanon is not a party to the Rome Statute and has not accepted the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

The issue has also become more contentious following the Lebanon-“Israel” framework agreement signed in June.

Read more: Rescue team narrowly escapes targeted Israeli attack in South Lebanon

Article 13 raises concerns over legal accountability

Article 13 of the agreement commits the two sides to take measures including the cessation of “all hostile or adverse actions in international political or legal forums.”

The provision has generated controversy in Lebanon, with legal experts and political figures warning that its wording could restrict efforts to pursue “Israel” through international courts and other legal mechanisms. The Lebanese government has disputed interpretations that the provision amounts to abandoning Lebanon’s legal rights.

The controversy remains particularly significant as Lebanese victims continue pursuing cases abroad.

Busin said proceedings in France and other jurisdictions could eventually strengthen accountability efforts inside Lebanon.

“Proceedings that are being pursued today in France and in other jurisdictions could tomorrow also have a positive impact in Lebanon, where the demand for accountability is also very strong,” he told The National.

A broader legal campaign linked to Lebanon

The complaint is also connected to the wider legal work of Bourdon, a prominent French human rights lawyer who has pursued several cases involving corruption and financial crimes linked to Lebanon.

Bourdon has represented victims and civil-society groups seeking accountability following Lebanon’s 2019 financial collapse. Proceedings involving former Central Bank governor Riad Salameh resulted in asset freezes in Europe and an international arrest warrant, while separate French investigations have involved former Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Lebanese banking groups.

Paris prosecutors have also investigated financial wrongdoing involving French subsidiaries of SGBL Group and Bank Audi, as well as allegations involving banker Antoun Sehnaoui. The banks have denied wrongdoing, while those accused have denied or disputed the allegations.

For the latest complainant, however, the immediate objective is more direct: to establish responsibility for the destruction of his property and seek judicial accountability in France at a time when avenues for pursuing Israeli crimes in Lebanon remain heavily contested.

Read more: Israeli aggression on Lebanon kills 4,386 since March: MoH