Explainer: The Israel-Hamas War and the International Criminal Court
The current conflict engulfing Israel and Palestine raises significant issues of international law and policy. This is part one in an anticipated two-part series that will discuss some of the relevant legal questions before the International Criminal Court (ICC; Part I) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ; Part II). With both courts located in [...]
UK High Court hears legal challenges to recently enacted Northern Ireland Troubles Bill
The UK High Court began hearing on Wednesday 16 legal challenges, filed mostly by victims’ families, against the recently enacted Northern Ireland (Troubles & Reconciliation) Act. The act, which grants amnesty to former soldiers and militants involved in an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles, became law on Tuesday when it received [...]
Israel, Counter-Terrorism, and International Law: The Analytic Challenges of 'System'
“The existence of `system’ in the world is obvious to every observer of nature, no matter whom.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, The Phenomenon of Man (1959) Whether conspicuous or obscure, terrorism generally presents itself as a systemic challenge. This means, inter alia, that seemingly singular strategic and legal matters may actually be many-sided and interrelated. Regarding legal issues, though [...]
After Afghanistan: Taliban Power, Palestinian Terrorism and Islamist Sacrifice
“History is an illustrious war against death.” – José Ortega y Gasset, Man and Crisis (1958) Afghanistan and “Palestine”: Newly Emerging Linkages At first glance, there are no obvious connections between the Taliban victory over the United States in Afghanistan and Palestinian terrorism against Israel. Upon closer inspection, however, the recent Taliban triumph reflects more [...]
Canada court orders tobacco companies to pay billions in damages
A judge for the Quebec Superior Court has awarded over $15 billion (USD $12 billion) in damages to Quebec smokers in a case against tobacco companies JTI-Macdonald, Imperial Tobacco, and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges, making this the...
Judges of the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) in Kosovo issued verdicts in the Drenica I and Drenica II cases on Wednesday and sentenced 11 Kosovo Albanian men to prison. The charges included the...
The EU Confronts the Ukraine Crisis—Carefully Handling the Double-edged Sword of Self-determination?
JURIST Guest Columnist Larry Eaker of the American University of Paris discusses the EU's position on the Ukraine Crisis ... "United in Diversity"—The Official EU Motto The sweeping expansion of the EU over the past 20 years has seemed to...
Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a press release today urging EU leaders to publicly raise concerns about the diminishing support for human rights issues in China under President Xi Jinping . HRW has taken action...
South Africa high court rules authorities must investigate Zimbabwe crimes against humanity
The South African Supreme Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that South African authorities have a duty to investigate and prosecute international crimes, regardless of where those crimes were committed. In the case, National Commissioner of the...
A judge for the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday denied a request to release photos of Osama Bin Laden taken shortly after his death last year. Nonprofit...
