Introduction
Applicable Law
Court Diary
Documents (including The Complaint)
Frequently Asked Questions
Related links

The case lodged in Belgium on 18 June 2001 by 23 survivors of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacres charges Ariel Sharon, former Israeli defense minister and Israel's current prime minister, as well as other Israelis and Lebanese with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide related to the massacres committed between 16-18 September 1982 in two refugee camps in Beirut.

The central argument of the case hinges upon Ariel Sharon's Command Responsibility as General of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), which was in full control of Beirut when the massacres took place in the contiguous refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila. Although the killings of between 1000-2000 unarmed Lebanese and Palestinian civilians were carried out by Lebanese militia units affiliated directly or indirectly with the Israeli-backed Christian Lebanese Forces (the Phalange), the legal, military, and decision-making responsibility ultimately rests with Ariel Sharon under established and recognized principles of International Law.

The case attempts to realize and implement the principle of Universal Jurisdiction for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, which is enshrined in the Fourth Geneva Convention and International Customary Law. As such, this case represents just one of many recent attempts to challenge impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Other similar cases have seen war crimes charges brought against Rwandan officials, Chile's ex-president, General Augusto Pinochet; Chad's former president, Hissein Habre; and former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

To download the Complaint as a single HTML or PDF file, please see the Documents listed in this section.

Confused? See Laurie King-Irani's The Sabra and Shatila Case in Belgium: A Guide for the Perplexed

The Crime of Genocide
Crimes Against Humanity
War Crimes
Conclusions
Universal Competence of Belgian Courts
Responsibilites & Damages

Outline and Explanation of Court Hearings during the Pre-trial Procedure (June 2001 - January 2002)
Press statement concerning the death of Elie Hobeika (24 January 2002)
Press statement concerning the decision of the International Court of Justice (14 February 2002)
Press statement: Lawyers for Sabra and Shatila Plaintiffs Ask to Re-open Debate before Belgian Court following ICJ Ruling of 14 February (1 March 2002)
Press release: Belgian Appeals Court agrees to New Hearing, Re-Opening of Arguments, in War Crimes Case against Ariel Sharon and other Israelis and Lebanese (6 March 2002)
Press statement: Response to the Belgian court's decision in the matter of Ndombasi Yerodia (16 April 2002)
Press statement following the Final Pre-Trial Hearing on the Admissibility of the Case Lodged against Sharon and others for Trial in Belgium under the principle of Universal Jurisdiction for War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity, and Genocide (15 May 2002)
Amnesty International press release: Israel/Belgium: Dismay at Sharon case decision, with an introduction by Laurie King-Irani (26 June 2002)
Statement by the lawyers of the victims of Sabra and Shatila on the decision of the Court of Appeals in Brussels (26 June 2002)
Sabra and Shatila Massacre Survivors to Appeal 26 June Ruling by Belgian Court Dismissing Case against Sharon, Others (3 July 2002)
Press release: The Belgian law of Universal Jurisdiction gets a second wind (19 July 2002)
Press release: Lawyers representing the victims in the Sabra and Shatila case welcome the Belgian Supreme Court's decision to quash Court of Appeals' ruling in precedent-setting Yerodia case (25 November 2002)
Compilation of press coverage relating to 12 February decision of Belgian Supreme Court 13 February 2003.
Open letter  to Israeli Foreign Minister Netanyahu from the Lawyers representing the Survivors of the Sabra and Shatila Massacre (13 February 2003)
The 12 February 2003 Decision of the Belgian Supreme Court Explained, prepared by Chibli Mallat, Michael Verhaeghe, Luc Walleyn and Laurie King-Irani, International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila, 19 February 2003.
Human Rights Watch issues appeal to the Belgian government not to dismiss the Sabra & Shatila case war crimes case, Press release, Human Rights Watch, 5 April 2003.
Important decision by Brussels Appeal Court rejects request of lawyers for Ariel Sharon and Amos Yaron (6 May 2003).
JUDICIAL CAPITULATION IN BELGIUM: Sharon and Yaron withdraw from all judicial proceedings (26 May 2003).
Sabra and Shatila plaintiffs welcome today's ruling by the Brussels Appeals Court opening the way for a full investigation and trial of Amos Yaron and others (10 June 2003)
Statement of the Lawyers for the Suvivors of Sabra and Shatila in reaction to the Belgian Justice Ministry's decision to start the procedure of transferring the case to Israel (20 June 2003).

1. The Complaint Against Ariel Sharon for his involvement in the massacres at Sabra and Shatila
The original, official document submitted to the court in Belgium on 18 June 2001.
Complaint in English with footnotes [PDF file, 120K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ].
Complaint in English with endnotes [PDF file, 120K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ]
Original French version (HTML, Mallat.com)

2. World Organization against Torture (USA) submission to the Court of Appeals of Brussels.
Examines the authority and jurisdiction of Belgium to criminally prosecute Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister of Israel, for alleged acts of Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity, and Violations of the Geneva Conventions. Prepared with the assistance of Sanjukta Paul, Legal Intern, Lowenstein International Human Rights Project, Yale Law School.
The Submission, with footnotes [PDF file, 45K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ]

3. Conclusion to pre-trial hearings (en français)
Final document submitted to the court in Belgium on 30 January 2002, in French.
The Conclusion, with endnotes. [PDF file, 323K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ]

4. Additional Conclusions (en français)
Final document submitted to the court in Belgium on 15 May 2002, in French.
Additional Conclusions, with endnotes. [PDF file, 96K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ]

5. 12 February 2003 appeal before Belgian Supreme Court
Documents relating to successful appeal before Belgium's Cour de Cassation.
English translation of Belgian Supreme Court Decision (unauthorised) [PDF format, 112K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ], International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila, 19 February 2003.
Note de Plaidoirie (in French) from survivors' legal team for Belgian Supreme Court [PDF format, 228K, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ], International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila, 19 February 2003.

Key Figures: Ariel Sharon - an overview of his career from The Electronic Intifada.
Transcript: "The Accused", Panorama, BBC, 17 June 2001.
The Sharon Files: Julie Flint uncovers secret documents that detail Israel's involvement in the 1982 massacres at Sabra and Shatila, The Guardian, 28 November 2001.