Five human rights organisations have launched legal action against the French government over its failure to prevent French companies and financial institutions from contributing to Israel’s unlawful occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Jurists for the Respect of International Law (JURDI), the International Centre for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), La Ligue des Droits Humains (LDH) and Law for Palestine filed the challenge before the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, on 22 July, 2026.
The organisations want the court to order the French government to introduce effective regulatory and enforcement measures restricting trade, investment and other commercial activities that help sustain Israel’s illegal occupation.
The defendants include the French prime minister and ministers responsible for the economy, foreign affairs and commerce. Lawyers Henri Thulliez, Yacine Baita and Frédéric Thiriez represent the applicants, who are also advised by the Open Society Justice Initiative.
The case draws heavily on the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) landmark advisory opinion of 19 July, 2024, which found that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and must end “as rapidly as possible”.
