Lebanese-French Artist Ali Cherri Files War Crimes Complaint Over 2024 Beirut Airstrike

PARIS — Acclaimed Lebanese-French artist and filmmaker Ali Cherri has filed a civil complaint with France’s specialized War Crimes Unit, seeking an investigation into an Israeli airstrike that killed his parents and five other civilians in Beirut on November 26, 2024.

The complaint, lodged on April 2, 2026, in partnership with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), targets “unknown perpetrators.” It alleges the bombing of a residential building in the Noueiri neighborhood may constitute a war crime under French criminal law and international humanitarian law.

The strike occurred just hours before a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. It destroyed an apartment building, claiming the lives of Cherri’s parents, Mahmoud Naim Cherri (88) and Nadira Hayek (78), along with their domestic worker Birki Negesa and four other residents.

Forensic Architecture and Amnesty International have analyzed the incident, identifying remnants consistent with GBU-39 munitions used by the Israeli air force. The groups noted the absence of effective civilian warnings and questioned the targeting of what appeared to be a purely civilian structure.

Cherri, whose work often explores themes of violence, memory, and survival in the Arab world, described the decision as “important but deeply difficult.” In a statement, he emphasized the family’s pursuit of truth: “Our demand is that an investigation is opened so that we know for a fact what happened, to name this attack as a war crime against civilians.”

The artist, known for installations and films examining historical trauma and political unrest, maintains a studio in Paris. His recent exhibitions have garnered international acclaim for their poetic yet unflinching engagement with conflict and human fragility.

Amnesty International welcomed the filing as a “rare opportunity” to examine Israeli actions in a European court amid broader patterns of alleged violations in Lebanon. Israel has not publicly commented on the specific complaint.

Legal experts note that French universal jurisdiction laws allow such cases to proceed even when the events occurred abroad. The War Crimes Unit will now assess whether to open a formal investigation.

Cherri’s action highlights the intersection of contemporary art and human rights advocacy, as the artist turns personal loss into a call for accountability in an era of persistent regional conflict.