A French businessman born in Lebanon has filed a complaint in Paris against persons unknown, targeting the Israeli military over the uprooting of 600 olive trees belonging to his family in Zawtar al-Sharqiya in southern Lebanon, his lawyers told AFP today.

The 37-year-old man said some of the trees were around 500 years old and had grown on land cultivated by his family for 250 years.

According to the civil complaint, seen by AFP, the trees were uprooted “roots and all,” with the filing alleging theft, destruction and damage to property constituting war crimes.

The complaint states that there is “no evidence to suggest that Hezbollah was using the house or the agricultural fields as military equipment.” He also suspects the uprooted trees were stolen and taken to Israel.