Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has filed a civil complaint in France seeking an investigation into an Israeli airstrike on a Beirut residential building in November 2024. The strike killed seven civilians, including Cherri's parents. The complaint, supported by forensic analysis from Forensic Architecture and Amnesty International, alleges the attack used munitions documented as being employed by the Israeli air force and targeted a civilian object, potentially constituting a war crime.
The filing represents a significant legal and symbolic act, marking one of the first attempts to bring alleged Israeli war crimes in Lebanon before judicial authorities. For Cherri, a prominent artist who won a Silver Lion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, the action blends personal tragedy with his artistic practice, which often explores political violence. The case highlights the ongoing human cost of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has resulted in thousands of Lebanese deaths and massive displacement, and tests mechanisms for accountability in a context where impunity has been the norm.