Bolstered by a momentous ICJ ruling, Palestinians, including Americans, gave three hours of testimony against the Biden administration.

Lawyers involved with the lawsuit playing out in federal court said that the ICJ ruling bolsters their case. Their lawsuit argues that Biden, Blinken, and Austin are liable under U.S. law for failing to uphold their obligation to prevent genocide in Gaza.

Barry Trachtenberg, a professor of Jewish history and author of two books about the Holocaust, testified as an expert witness in the case – over repeated objections from Justice Department attorneys. When he filed his declaration in the case in November, he said, some 11,000 Palestinians had been killed. Today, that number is far greater.

“Everything that we feared and more is unfolding,” he said, noting that often, legal actions about genocide happen long after the fact. “What makes this situation so unique is that we’re watching the genocide unfold as we speak. And we’re in this incredibly unique position where we can actually intervene to stop it using the mechanisms of international law that are available to us.”

  • underisk
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    10 months ago

    Every time someone tells you how little power a president has to realize his political objectives I want you to think about how eager, steadfast, and unilateral Biden has been in assisting a foreign country in the waging of a genocidal war. Then imagine he put that kind of political will behind literally anything positive.

    • IndustryStandard@lemmy.worldOP
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      10 months ago

      It’s weird to me that it’s so unclear what the president actually can and can’t do. Before Trump took his presidential powers for a test drive everyone said it was impossible for a president to do those things. It seems like Biden has found out how to bypass Congress too, but not for the noble purposes we were hoping for.

      • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        If Trump’s presidency was good for anything, it was good for giving us innumerable examples of why it’s so dumb to pretend that Democrats were powerless when they had Congress and the presidency for two years.

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          10 months ago

          It should be a lesson: Democrats CHOOSE to not try. “Enlightened Centrism” is a brain disease fundamentally incapable of standing up to fascism.

        • WanderingVentra@lemm.ee
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          10 months ago

          Well there was lots of times Trump was stopped, too. His Muslim ban was struck down by courts, his wall or trying tk destroy health care would sometimes be slowed in Congress, or his administration would try to slow down his insane impulses. That’s a large part of why they have that new plan to basically replace a ton of the bureaucrats with us men instead of law abiding citizens.

    • FenrirIII@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      It’s not just any foreign country. It’s Israel. There’s a shit ton of policy, diplomacy, geographic interests, and money involved. There is literally no president in recent history that would act much differently. The majority of Congress is on board with this.

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        10 months ago

        If the majority of congress is on board, then why repeatedly circumvent them and put himself as the sole person responsible for these wildly unpopular actions during his reelection campaign?

      • 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚐@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Listen to who is not criticising Biden.

        This is a both-sides issue.

        Edit: The Republican House could bring immediate legitimate and bipartisan articles of impeachment against Biden for 1) sidestepping Congress to arm Israel and 2) abuse of power to foment genocide.

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        10 months ago

        The alternative I’m seething to bring about is not on a ballot.

            • TigrisMorte@kbin.social
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              10 months ago

              When their is a viable alternative option. As I am not a member of any political party, I am not able to Vote in the Primary.
              And No, I think you are poorly informed fools.

              • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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                10 months ago

                When their is a viable alternative option.

                The Boomers and the DNC will make sure there never is one. You want change? They’re your biggest obstacle.

                No, I think you are poorly informed fools

                Buddy that’s irrelevant. If you need our votes so you’ve gotta listen to our demands. You, the DNC, the Boomers are free to ignore us but then you will lose the general election. Make a choice.

      • Doorbook@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Vote A he will save you from B is not working. Because when A ignore you completely that mean both A and B are bad and voting for A is only going to help A groups not you. A is killing you family and B is killing your family so why you care to vote for A if the end result is the same.

        Let A and B decide among themselves what they want, and take your energy and voice to better places instead of aiding one against the other.

      • S_204@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        I’m not American, but I’m kind of starting to hope Biden doesn’t win. Just so that these foolish people get what they deserve. The level of stupidity is pouring out right now is just astonishing.

        • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          Hey, “stupid” person here. I’m 100% fine with literally whatever you want to call me. But we were very clear during the 2020 primaries we didn’t want Biden and we reluctantly voted for him in the 2020 general to give him a chance. We made it as clear as possible to him and everyone around us that he was on thin ice.

          So, sure, call us stupid or whatever. But how stupid do you all have to believe we were bluffing twice?

          • S_204@lemm.ee
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            10 months ago

            Yes, Americans have shown themselves to be stupid beyond belief. You’re going to vote for Biden again, your option of shooting yourself in the face isn’t a better option but as I’m not American, I’m starting to hope y’all do exactly that so you get what you deserve.