American investigative news website The Intercept reports that President Joe Biden has until tomorrow, Friday, to respond to a lawsuit filed last November against his administration. The lawsuit accuses the administration of failing to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip and is backed by 77 groups of legal organizations, international community members, activists, lawyers around the world, as well as families of the victims in Gaza.
The supporting civil organizations assert that the plaintiffs have demonstrated that the threat of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza is serious. They claim that the United States is violating its international law obligations to prevent genocide and complicity therein. The plaintiffs suggest that Washington's failures are contributing to the erosion of the rules of international law.
Lawyers overseeing the lawsuit believe that the International Court of Justice's upcoming decisions on South Africa's case against Israel could have an indirect impact on their own case.
Biden Administration Rejects the Lawsuit
In December of last year, the Biden administration requested the dismissal of the case, arguing that the plaintiffs were asking the court to act beyond its jurisdiction and in a way that exceeds the executive branch's decisions on foreign policy and national security.
The administration also stated that the plaintiffs do not have the standing to sue because the court does not have authority over the activities of another sovereign state.
However, the plaintiffs contend that there is a precedent for U.S. courts to rule on matters related to genocide. They argue that their legal challenge is about more than just the actions of a foreign state.
They emphasized that "the suggestion that the United States does not influence or cannot influence Israeli policy is preposterous, not least because the Israeli government acknowledges that its actions could not happen without America's support."
The court is scheduled to hear arguments on the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction, as well as the Biden administration's dismissal request, on January 26th.
According to The Intercept, the human rights and legal defense organization "Law for Palestine" has documented at least 500 instances of Israeli legislators, officials, and officers inciting genocide in Gaza.
The Center for Constitutional Rights in the United States has filed a lawsuit against Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. They are accused of providing unconditional support to the genocide committed by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
It is worth noting that the Biden administration faces another lawsuit for failing to protect American Palestinians stranded in Gaza, contradicting its efforts to assist Israeli-Americans with dual citizenship.
