On the third anniversary of the death of journalist Issam Abdallah and his colleagues, calls for justice are growing. Speakers want an end to impunity for the perpetrators. They stressed that Israel deliberately targeted the journalists because they carried cameras and reported the truth.
In a moving speech to The Speech, Abdallah’s sister rejected Israeli claims that the attack was a “mistake.” She said the facts disprove this. The strikes came 45 seconds apart. Drones also hovered over the group for more than an hour.
She then put a direct question to the Lebanese state: “What has the Lebanese state done since then? You don’t have to help or support us. But at the very least, do your duty on the judicial side toward journalists and their families.”
The head of the Lebanese Journalists’ Union said three years have passed without justice or accountability. She stressed that the demands are not impossible. They come down to a few practical steps:
- Creating a central record of war crimes.
- Opening the judicial files.
- Passing laws that punish war crimes.
- Giving the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over Lebanon, or opening serious local investigations.
- Helping victims turn to universal jurisdiction in national courts.
The speakers closed with a warning. As long as perpetrators escape justice, journalists remain exposed to danger. Leaving the files unattended also deepens the suffering of victims’ families, who face waiting and indifference.
