The Center for Constitutional Rights’ case against the U.S. president and secretaries of state and defense seeks an emergency injunction to stop aiding Israel’s bombing.
U.S. President Joe Biden at the Pentagon, 2021. (DoD/Lisa Ferdinando)
Calling for an emergency injunction to stop the Biden administration from aiding Israel in its bombardment of Gaza, which has so far killed more than 26,000 people and pushed roughly 2 million more to the point of starvation, human rights organizations and Palestinians in the U.S. on Friday took federal leaders to court to stop U.S. “complicity in the Israeli government’s unfolding genocide.”
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Oakland held a hearing on the case, in which the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) is representing groups including Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) and Al-Haq in suing President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The groups, joined by individual plaintiffs whose families in Gaza have been subjected to Israel’s assault and decades of occupation, argue that the U.S. is violating domestic and international law and breaching the Genocide Convention, of which it is a a signatory.
The hearing was held hours after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) released its initial ruling in South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The ICJ found that Israel must “take all measures within its power” to prevent genocide.
Laila El-Haddad, one of the plaintiffs in the U.S. case, said the group entered the courtroom “proud and hopeful” on the heels of the ICJ ruling.
On the heels of the ICJ ruling, we are on our way to US federal court to hold the US government accountable. We are proud and hopeful and here for our families who are being genocided with UD complicity! pic.twitter.com/IO9j3cCqLn
— Laila El-Haddad (@gazamom) January 26, 2024
The CCR reported that the court’s livestream was at capacity during the hearing, while outside the courtroom, supporters painted, “Biden complicit in genocide,” and, “No bombs to Israel” on the street.
It’s extraordinary! When we at @theCCR went into court this morning to argue the case, this painting wasn’t there … https://t.co/Fx4SDQVzmK
— Vince Warren (@VinceWarren) January 26, 2024
“A recording of the hearing will be made available by the court in due course,” said CCR.
Dena Takruri of AJ+reported that in the “unprecedented” hearing, a doctor testifying remotely from Rafah, Gaza told the court that “cases of childbirth in the streets are widespread at this time.”
Along with relentless air and ground attacks by Israeli forces, Gazans have for nearly four months faced a near-total blockade on Gaza, with aid deliveries severely curtailed by Israel. Roughly 90 percent of Gaza residents are now frequently going without any meals for at least a full day.
South Africa’s case at the ICJ outlined numerous statements of genocidal intent by top Israeli officials.
Despite the mounting evidence of ethnic cleansing, the Biden administration has called South Africa’s accusations “meritless” and has continued to arm Israel without congressional approval.
“Our community mobilized to put Biden in power after [former] President Donald Trump,” Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Sacramento Valley and another Palestinian American plaintiff, testified at the hearing. “It hurts. It hurts deeply.”
The plaintiffs planned to hold a post-hearing press conference.(See below)
“The takeaway from today’s court hearing,” said CCR executive director Vince Warren, “is that we are watching a genocide unfold in Gaza in real time and, despite the government’s view that a U.S. court can do nothing about it, CCR and our clients argue that it certainly can and it absolutely must!”
Julia Conley is a staff writer for Common Dreams.
This article is from Common Dreams.
Views expressed in this article and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
Memo To: Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
From: The Universe
Thank You!!! “May the force,” of the US District Court, for the Northern District of California, “Order” Biden-Harris, their War Chiefs, Blinken-Austin; &, Congress, to “Stop, “Complicity” in Gaza Genocide!!!”
NO Doubt, * “Joe Biden owns this”
“The cataclysm that the world is witnessing is the by-product of the, by now, familiar mantra at the core of every modern US president’s so-called Middle East “foreign policy”: Kill first, think later.
[Biden-Harris, their War Chiefs, the US Congress] “owns all of this —- every despicable aspect of the calamity unfolding in Gaza perpetrated by America’s ever-reliable and obedient proxy, Israel.” [Biden’s-Harris’] “team” has concocted exculpatory “evidence” and lied again & again to cover up its complicity in the killing of countless Palestinians, …”
* Andrew Mitrovica, Al Jazeera Columnist, “unpacks Biden’s & his “team’s” beyond f/shameful legacy,” October 19, 2023 @ hxxps://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/10/19/joe-biden-owns-this
“Keep It Lit.” Ciao
I do not think “complicity” is sufficiently strong in describing biden’s involvement in this genocide. He is a primary actor and participant.
When the us is THE major supplier of 2000 pound bombs to drop on refugee centers, when all of the intelligence, arty shells, etc, etc, comes from the us, than I do not think complicity does it at all.
Bravo! Thank you.
Send Biden to the ICC to be put on trial for complicity in committing genocide, because of sending money and weapons to Israel for the slaughter of Palestinians.
The entire WHITE WEST is guilty by association – guilty by condoning these actions…and all those GUILTY should be taken to the ICJ – all of them. But the Court’s president being an American…what chance is there of justice ever being served? Assassins.
Genocide Joe should dangle from a rope beside B Satanyahu
There really aren’t any words to describe how ashamed I am of my fellow USAmericans that are chanting “4More Years” for the hapless, delusional Biden, in the face of what’s happening. That they are able to dismiss the perpetual suffering being inflicted with our govt.’s help and are thinking only of keeping the a**hole Trump out of the WH, shamelessly guilt-tripping the many of us who refuse to support either of these empty husks and poor-excuses-for-human-beings for POTUS, is a national disgrace. Anyone with any critical-thinking skills understands that is a lose-lose situation, and while there are no viable alternatives or immediate solutions to this dilemma, we cannot allow ourselves to be resigned to the complacency of “this is what we got, so we have to make the best of it.” Yet there are no suggestions offered on how to make the best of evil, because it is impossible to do so! The denial is stunning. While those of us refusing to vote for these sociopathic monsters may not have all the answers, we are prepared to resist and create an alternative to the current fascist-enabling system, and know we will be demonized and oppressed every step of the way.
This is hardly the first time the US military-state has enabled fascist monsters, all the while taking the moral high-ground in public. Particularly since WW2, but even before that, the US gov and military’s foreign policy has been one of fascist-dictate posing as “humanitarian intervention.” There is nothing “humanitarian” about militarily occupying other countries and slaughtering all who resist their imposition, be it civilians or armed resistance, or starving-out populations and destroying economies via sanctions. We will tolerate this hypocrisy no longer. We have tolerated it long enough, and shame on us for that. If ever there was an opportunity to take a stand, with all the hypocrisy out in the open and most of the world on our side, it is now. But I realize many USAmericans are still too ignorant, too complacent, and too fearful to join us or even understand the ramifications of current events. I can understand it but cannot excuse it. We are being forced into revolution whether we realize it or not; it cannot be avoided, and is the only way forward. A citizens’ resistance to fascism. For if anyone still questions that it is fascism that we are contending with here, regardless of which major political-party holds sway, then they do not have a grasp on the situation. We do not fight fascists because we know we can win, but because they are fascists.
“Calling for an emergency injunction to stop the Biden administration from aiding Israel in its bombardment of Gaza, which has so far killed more than 26,000 people and pushed roughly 2 million more to the point of starvation, human rights organizations and Palestinians in the U.S. on Friday took federal leaders to court to stop U.S. “complicity in the Israeli government’s unfolding genocide.”
Perhaps that was A purpose rather than THE purpose?