- Over 100 French lawyers requested the ICC to probe top French officials – including President Macron – for aiding Israel in alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza, per a 56-page legal submission.
- Officials are accused of providing military, political and economic support to Israel despite documented atrocities in Gaza, violating the Genocide Convention and Rome Statute. France has continued arms exports, including bombs and missiles, while disregarding the Arms Trade Treaty.
- The complaint implicates pro-Israel lobbying group ELNET, alleging it shapes French policy through organized trips for lawmakers, reinforcing Israel's diplomatic backing.
- The lawyers drew comparisons to past Western complicity in atrocities, arguing accountability is essential to prevent genocide from continuing with impunity.
- The complaint tests whether Western leaders face legal consequences for supporting Israel's war amid growing international momentum (e.g., Spain, Ireland recognizing Gaza as genocide). The case underscores the ICC's role in challenging state-backed atrocities.
More than 100 French lawyers have formally requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate top French officials – including President Emmanuel Macron – for allegedly aiding Israel in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza.
The 114 lawyers called on the tribunal through a 56-page legal submission made public by investigative outlet Blast. They accused Macron, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and 19 lawmakers of providing military, political and economic support to Israel while ignoring its atrocities against Palestinians.
The complaint filed by the non-government organization Pour la Justice au Proche-Orient (For Justice in the Middle East) cites violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute. It argues that French officials knowingly facilitated crimes through arms exports, diplomatic backing and propaganda.
Over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since Tel Aviv began its military offensive in October 2023. Despite documented evidence of mass civilian casualties, Paris has continued military transfers to Israel – including bombs, missiles and artillery parts worth millions of dollars. Bayrou further drew condemnation for justifying Israel's actions by blaming Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks as the "detonator" of the crisis.
A test for global justice: Can the ICC stop France's arms flow to Israel?
The lawyers highlighted France's refusal to comply with the Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits weapons exports to regimes committing war crimes. A June report by NGOs revealed France as a steady supplier of arms throughout Israel's offensive, even as starvation and bombardment devastated Gaza.
The lawyers also implicated the lobbying group European Leaders Network (ELNET), which has organized trips for French lawmakers to Israel. According to the complaint, ELNET allegedly shapes policy in favor of the Israeli government.
Historical parallels emerge in the complaint, referencing past Western complicity in atrocities – from colonialism to Holocaust-era apathy – while accusing France of repeating such failures today. The lawyers argue that accountability is crucial to justice. Without consequences for enablers, genocide persists with impunity.
As international momentum grows – with Spain, Ireland and rights groups labeling Gaza a genocide – the ICC faces mounting pressure to act. The French complaint marks a watershed moment, testing whether Western leaders will face legal consequences for supporting Israel's war. The lawyers vow to expand their campaign, signaling further actions against media figures and lobbyists propagating Israeli narratives. (Related: Former MEP condemns hypocritical EU for being "totally complicit" in Gaza genocide.)
For Palestinians and their allies, the filing represents a rare attempt to pierce the shield of Western diplomatic immunity. Whether the ICC pursues the case may determine if legal frameworks forged after World War II can still challenge state-backed atrocities, or if geopolitical alliances render them impotent. Either way, the complaint ensures France's role in Gaza's genocide will remain under scrutiny.
Watch Gerald Celente discussing the U.S.'s veto of the United Nations resolution condemning the Gaza genocide and calling for a ceasefire in this clip.
This video is from the What is happening channel on Brighteon.com.
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