Opposition to US support for Israel in its war on Gaza is growing. The discontent began in the universities, and now the discontent is spreading to the American administration.
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, obtained by Politico, 90 lawyers, including 20 from the Biden administration, asserted that Israel violated the US Arms Export Control Act and the Geneva Conventions. They demand that the president suspend military aid to Israel due to the brutality of its intervention in Gaza. They include lawyers from the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, and Energy. The letter is still circulating, so the number of signatures will increase.
The letter reminds Garland that a majority of Americans, according to recent polls, believe that the United States should halt arms shipments to Israel until it stops its military operations in Gaza.
- Listen to Lester-Durocher's meeting with Journal de Montréal blogger Normand Lester via QUB :
Washington is violating its own laws
Israel was asked to reassure Washington that it would not use US-supplied weapons to violate international law or block aid shipments to the Palestinians: “…the US government is violating its own laws and policies, the Justice Department lawyer who signed the letter told POLITICO.
Despite repeated warnings from the Biden administration, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterates that Israel will invade the city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge fleeing the fighting. He even added that he would order the attack whether or not a hostage truce was reached, and that Israel would not accept a complete withdrawal from Gaza. However, ceasefire and hostage release talks are ongoing mediated by other stakeholders between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu said that his forces began evacuating Palestinians from Rafah in preparation for the next attack.
- Listen to Lester-Durocher's meeting with Journal de Montréal blogger Normand Lester via QUB :
Arrest warrant against Netanyahu
According to what was reported by the Israeli website Ynet, which is affiliated with the most important daily newspaper in the country. Yedioth Ahronoth, Israeli lawyers at the International Criminal Court in The Hague believe that the arrest warrants against Israeli leaders were issued secretly. Israeli lawyers fear that Israeli officials will not discover the existence of the arrest warrants until they arrive in a European country.
For its part, the Israeli newspaper said: Maariv Reports said Netanyahu was “unusually frightened and nervous” about the possibility of an imminent international arrest warrant being issued against him. The newspaper wrote that Israeli officials are counting on the United States to obstruct any action by the International Criminal Court. Washington has already declared that the International Criminal Court does not have the jurisdiction to try Israeli leaders.
Following a complaint submitted by South Africa to the International Court of Justice, Israel also faces charges of genocide over its intervention in Gaza. The war there led to the deaths of more than 34,500 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children.
The United States before the International Criminal Court
Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress pledged to take punitive measures against the International Criminal Court if it prosecutes Israeli officials. According to the Axios news site, members of Congress are considering passing legislation imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court, while others want Washington to withdraw from the Rome Statute, on the basis of which the court was established. They undoubtedly fear that the United States will also be in the dock.
Since American leaders have provided weapons, munitions and operational intelligence to the Israelis in Gaza, they may be next in line to face prosecution at the International Criminal Court.
