Six prominent human rights and media freedom organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Reporters Without Borders, have warned that the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement “threatens to betray the victims of war crimes” in Lebanon.

In a joint statement released Friday, they highlighted that clauses 3 and 13 of the US-brokered deal, signed on June 26, are particularly concerning as they would “prevent Lebanon and Israel from having recourse to international courts, including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.”

Clause 3, the groups argue, violates international law by conditioning the return of displaced residents to border zones currently occupied by Israel on the “successful disarmament of non-state armed groups and dismantlement of their infrastructure.” Under international humanitarian law, people must be allowed to return once hostilities end.

Clause 13 prevents civilians from taking “actions in international political or legal fora,” despite months of hostilities that resulted in immense civilian harm, including war crimes and gross human rights abuses. The groups say the deal appears to contradict international legal obligations to pursue accountability.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun defended the agreement, saying it does not legitimize Israeli occupation but empowers the Lebanese army. He claimed Lebanon’s decision to separate from the “Iranian-US track” is a problem for those accustomed to guardianship.

Meanwhile, over 646,000 internally displaced persons have begun returning home since the June 21 ceasefire, but about 500,000 remain displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration. Many in southern Lebanon have no homes to return to, as dozens of towns and villages have been destroyed by Israeli forces.

Source: www.aljazeera.com