Press releases
Lebanon: Israeli attacks on financial institutions are possible war crimes
There have been multiple attacks on branches of Qard al-Hassan, a non-profit financial association affiliated with Hezbollah
Under laws of war, financial institutions are civilian objects unless being used for military purposes
‘Israeli forces have targeted an institution that serves as an economic lifeline for countless Lebanese civilians’ - Erika Guevara Rosas
The Israeli military’s targeting of branches of Qard al-Hassan, a non-profit financial association affiliated with Hezbollah with over 30 branches across Lebanon, is likely to be a violation of international humanitarian law and must be investigated as a possible war crime, Amnesty International said today.
Under the laws of war, branches of financial institutions are civilian objects unless they are being used for military purposes. These attacks are likely to constitute a direct attack on civilian objects.
On 20 October, the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesperson announced on X that its forces would begin “attacking infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah’s Qard al-Hassan”, instructing residents to immediately move away from areas in the vicinity of these buildings. The first attack was reported only 35 minutes later at around 9:30 pm.
Lebanese state media has reported a total of 11 attacks on Qard al-Hassan buildings in the southern suburbs of Beirut, as well as several other branches in other parts of the country, including in the south and in the Bekaa Valley.
Qard al-Hassan, operating under a licence granted by the Lebanese government, is currently Lebanon’s biggest microcredit provider and is used by many Lebanese civilians, predominantly Shiites, to access small, interest-free loans. Many Lebanese people from various religious communities have increasingly relied on Qard al-Hassan for loans to pay for education, healthcare and small businesses, particularly since the collapse of Lebanon’s banking sector in 2019. It has been under US sanctions since 2007.
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said:
“Israeli forces have targeted an institution that serves as an economic lifeline for countless Lebanese civilians.
“This, along with an evacuation warning issued less than 40 minutes before the start of the strikes, shows Israel’s disregard for international humanitarian law.
“Even if as the Israeli military alleges the institution does provide financing to Hezbollah it is not likely to meet the definition of a military objective, particularly for branches serving civilian customers.
“Under international humanitarian law, attacks against civilians and civilian objects are prohibited. An international investigation into the attacks on Qard al-Hassan must be urgently initiated.
“Israel must abandon a definition of military objectives that is so broad as to include branches of a financial institution.”
Civilian objects protected under international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law prohibits direct attacks against “civilian objects” such as homes, businesses and shops unless these buildings are being used for military purposes. Having an association with Hezbollah is not sufficient to classify a civilian building or the civilians inside it as military objectives. Many of Qard al-Hassan’s branches and offices are located in residential buildings in the middle of densely-populated residential areas. Hundreds of residents had to flee their homes after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings. A senior Israeli intelligence official was quoted in the media stating that in addition to hindering the ability of Hezbollah to function and rebuild following the war, “the main objective is to affect trust between Hezbollah and a lot of the Shiite community that uses this association as a banking system”. Undermining trust between Hezbollah and the Shiite community is not a lawful justification for militarily targeting an institution.