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October 10, 2025 – Lebanon/Palestine –
Lebanon’s Cabinet has instructed the Ministry of Justice to explore legal avenues to hold Israel accountable for attacks against journalists, with a special focus on the fatal shelling that killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and affected his colleagues.
The initiative originated from a proposal by Information Minister Paul Morcos, endorsed by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. During a recent session at Beirut’s Grand Serail, the Cabinet approved the motion, citing prior resolutions calling for the inclusion of an independent Dutch report on Abdallah’s killing in Lebanon’s submissions to the United Nations.
The motivation behind the push is tied to growing frustration over what many in Lebanon and the international press community regard as the impunity surrounding journalist casualties in conflict zones. Investigations by civil society actors and media-rights organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), have concluded that Abdallah’s death was a targeted attack, with repeated shelling from the direction of Israeli positions.
Yet legal challenges loom large. Lebanon is not a party to the International Criminal Court (ICC), and past attempts to gain external judicial recourse have stalled. Some Lebanese officials previously authorized a declaration for ICC jurisdiction over war crimes committed on its territory after October 2023, but later revisions scaled back that commitment in favor of U.N. mechanisms.
Still, supporters of the measure argue that this is a symbolic and political step that may pave the way for more assertive accountability demands in future forums, such as the U.N. Security Council or international human rights bodies.
If the Justice Ministry presents a legally grounded roadmap, it could mark an important moment in Lebanon’s quest to align state policy with international protections for journalists—especially in a region where media workers face heightened risks amid conflict.
References –
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPv12LEiEpg/?hl=en&img_index=1
https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/en/politics/815098/cabinet-tasks-justice-ministry-with-exploring-lega
