French-Lebanese Businessman Sues Israel Over Olive Tree Destruction

A 37-year-old French-Lebanese businessman has filed a civil lawsuit in France against Israel and the Israeli military, accusing them of destroying and damaging property, which his lawyer suggests could amount to war crimes. The lawsuit centers on the alleged uprooting of approximately 600 olive trees in Zawtar al-Sharqiyya, southern Lebanon, on land his family claims to have cultivated for about 250 years, with some trees reportedly centuries old.

The businessman states that his family home was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike shortly before a ceasefire was declared in April 2026. He claims the Israeli military occupied the area after this and proceeded to uproot the olive trees following an interim agreement between Israel and Lebanon in late June. The plaintiff asserts that the trees were completely removed and suspects some may have been transported to Israel.

He emphasizes that he is not a member or supporter of Hezbollah and believes there is no evidence his home or the agricultural land was used for military purposes by the organization. The Israeli military stated in August that it was aware of the potential environmental impact of its operations and was taking measures to minimize harm to civilians and the environment, but offered no further comment on this specific complaint.

This legal action follows several other lawsuits filed in France by French-Lebanese citizens concerning Israeli military operations in Lebanon.