76 Rights groups set to file lawsuit to arrest Smotrich in Paris
4 Min Read
76 human rights organizations from France, the Arab world, and beyond are demanding the arrest of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during his upcoming visit to Paris, with plans to file a lawsuit against him in France.
-
Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich gestures as he speaks during a conference in occupied al-Quds, on March 7, 2021. (AP)
Al Mayadeen has obtained the text of a lawsuit set to be filed by 76 French, Arab, and international human rights organizations urging French authorities to arrest Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during his visit to Paris on November 13-14.
Smotrich is expected to attend a fundraising event for the Israeli occupation army.
These organizations will submit the request, as part of a lawsuit, to the French Public Prosecutor, calling for an immediate arrest warrant against Smotrich. It cites his documented statements advocating for "the final and complete annexation of Gaza and the West Bank" and calls for the expulsion of Palestinians to Jordan or elsewhere while labeling anyone who opposes this plan as a terrorist.
The lawsuit centers on the issue of Palestinian detainees killed in Israeli prisons, with organizations focused on prisoners' rights reporting that dozens have died from torture or direct shootings.
However, only 18 cases have been officially documented due to "Israel's" policy of concealment, which hides many prisoner deaths. The lawsuit argues that this represents a flagrant violation of human rights and detainee rights as outlined in international agreements, particularly the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions, their additional protocols, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The lawsuit includes reports and data from human rights organizations confirming that over 1,600 individuals have been detained since October 7, 2023. This contrasts with the occupation entity's acknowledgment of only 850 detainees, who are being held in military camps, private detention facilities, and other detention centers.
Smotrich is set to participate in a demonstration in Paris on November 13, organized by the Israel Forever Foundation, an extremist group that advocates for the creation of a "Greater Israel."
The event's invitation featured a map of "Israel" that encompasses not only the area between the Palestinian border with Lebanon and the Litani River but also the entire Syrian Golan Heights, including regions that "Israel" does not currently occupy.
-
One map distributed by the Israel Forever Foundation shows territories under Israeli occupation, considering them to be part of "Israel".
What are the demands of the lawsuit?
- The lawsuit calls for the Israeli occupation authorities to be compelled to immediately halt these violations against Palestinian detainees and to fully comply with international humanitarian law, particularly the agreements that govern the legal protection of detainees and prisoners.
- The lawsuit demands a comprehensive listing of all violations committed against Palestinian detainees and prisoners, categorizing these actions according to international legal definitions of serious crimes, including murder, kidnapping, and torture. It also calls for the identification of countries that have signed the Convention against Torture, which obligates signatory states to prosecute perpetrators of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
- The lawsuit calls for the "State of Israel" to be held fully accountable for the crimes committed against Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
- The lawsuit calls for holding Israeli war criminals accountable, as they are responsible for committing international crimes against Palestinian detainees.
- The lawsuit demands that Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons be treated as prisoners of war in accordance with international law, rather than being classified as security prisoners or terrorists, as the Israeli occupation authorities have done.
- The lawsuit calls for the release of all Palestinian detainees, recognizing them as freedom fighters rather than terrorists.
It is worth noting that last month, Smotrich sparked controversy with remarks suggesting his vision for an expanded "Jewish state" that could extend beyond Palestinian territories and into neighboring countries, including Syria.
The comments were made during an interview for a French-language documentary, "Israel: Extremists in Power", aired by Arte.
Smotrich expressed his desire for a "Jewish state" governed by "the values of the Jewish people," and when asked whether "Israel" aims to extend its current sovereignty—which stretches from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River—he responded with a smile, saying, "okay, bit by bit."
In a provocative statement, Smotrich also referred to religious texts, claiming that the future of occupied al-Quds involves expansion "as far as Damascus."
