Exclusive: Some US officials say in internal memo Israel may be violating international law in Gaza

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

April 27, 2024 4:34 PM EDT Updated Updated 7 min ago


WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - Some senior U.S. officials have advised Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find "credible or reliable" Israel's assurances that it is using U.S.-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law, according to an internal State Department memo reviewed by Reuters. Other officials upheld support for Israel's representation.

Under a National Security Memorandum (NSM) issued by President Joe Biden in February, Blinken must report to Congress by May 8 whether he finds credible Israel's assurances that its use of U.S. weapons does not violate U.S. or international law.

By March 24, at least seven State Department bureaus had sent in their contributions to an initial "options memo" to Blinken. Parts of the memo, which has not been previously reported, were classified.

The submissions to the memo provide the most extensive picture to date of the divisions inside the State Department over whether Israel might be violating international humanitarian law in Gaza. "Some components in the department favored accepting Israel's assurances, some favored rejecting them and some took no position," a U.S. official said.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/some-us-officials-say-internal-memo-israel-may-be-violating-international-law-2024-04-27/

[Lonestarblue]

1. Isrel has been breaking international law in plain sight. It is a war crime to intentionally starve children.

And to destroy hospitals, murder doctors and nurses, and target journalists for murder to prevent the world from learning what is happening—all of which Israel is doing.

[Bayard]

2. "May be?"

Do we believe our eyes, or lying Netanyahu?

[malthaussen]

3. "some" officials say "may?"

Well, maybe they've finally realized that e-mails aren't too secure.

-- Mal

[SouthBayDem]

4. Update from NY Times:

Israeli Officials Believe I.C.C. Is Preparing Arrest Warrants Over War (gift link):

Israeli officials increasingly believe that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government officials on charges related to the conflict with Hamas, according to five Israeli and foreign officials.

The Israeli and foreign officials also believe the court is weighing arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas.

If the court proceeds, the Israeli officials could potentially be accused of preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and pursuing an excessively harsh response to the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, according to two of the five officials, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

The Israeli officials, who are worried about the potential fallout from such a case, said they believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among those who might be named in a warrant. It is not clear who might be charged from Hamas or what crimes would be cited.

[Aussie105]

5. Israel Smiting the Heathen Hordes?

Heaping Biblical level doom and disaster on its enemies?

And some say it may be against International Law?

Maybe, possibly?

Gosh!

/ / / / / /

It's dawning slowly on some that it is pure overkill.
(But wanting to be anonymous while saying so.)

Not a good look for America, blind to the whole thing up to now, to keep sending taxpayer funded War Toys to Israel.

The feeling that a weapon of some sort - and using it - will solve problems is deeply ingrained in the American psyche.
Blind are those without eyes. Even blinder are those who do not want to see.

May the Deity in all her wisdom, have pity on all our souls!

[LeftInTX]

6. The question is: Where does it go from here? What decisions does the US make?

[Novara]

7. "using U.S.-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law"

What is wrong with this sentence?

EVERYTHING!

I can't find a humanitarian reason to kill civilians.