US Jews & Nuanced Court Decision
by Rabbi Arthur Waskow
Dear Friends and Companions in our shared struggle for Jewish renewal to inspire a more just and loving world,
The International Court of Justice has delivered a more “nuanced” decision on the current war between the Netanyahu regime and the Military Wing of Hamas on, respectively (a nasty word to use on both sides) against the people of Palestine and the people of Israel — a decision more nuanced than I might have wished it had come. It had no immediate “war crime” decision, no order for total cease-fire, and no release of Israeli hostages and uncharged Palestinian prisoners. It set terms for the Netanyahu regime’s behavior as a first step, terms no one else has imposed. It sets dates for compliance.
While I myself would have gone further and swifter, I am not a world-spanning court with a strong sense of its own weakness. It has no police force of its own; it needs vigorous support from governments, businesses, religious communities, other civil societies.
Members of The Shalom Center can voice vigorous support for this first step toward strengthening a world-wide judicial body now ignored or opposed by the USA, the world’s most powerful government. It is important for callers to note that ICJ actually includes the former Head Judge of the Israeli High Court. These calls, even or especially from individual members, would benefit us in our shared struggle for Jewish renewal to inspire a more just and loving world.
We suggest you call 1-202-224-3121, the US Capitol, and ask for your Senator. Leave a message as follows, in your own words:
I am [your name], your constituent from, [city or town], and [if you wish] a member of The Shalom Center.
I am calling you to urge President Biden to take two moral public actions on the same day to start a real peace process between Israel and Palestine:
1. The US government brings charges of vile and atrocious war crimes against the top ten officials of the Military Wing of Hamas for actions their forces perpetrated on October 7 in Israel, under the rules of the International Criminal Court that apply to individuals, not only to governments. The ICJ can address only governments, and Hamas does not claim to be the government of a sovereign state.
2. The President announces publicly that he will hold the present Israeli government fully responsible to carry out the judicial orders for Israel to take major steps to greatly reduce military attacks on civilians and to supply the desperately needed huge humanitarian supplies of medicine, electricity, food, water, and shelter to all of Gaza. The President should make clear that he will bring to bear US influence at the UN Security Council, US law regarding the use of US-supplied weapons to damage human rights, etc., to make sure the ICJ judicial decisions are followed, by the date the Court specified.
Thanks, Senator, for your attention to these actions for life and for peace. Please call me at [your phone number] to let me know.
With blessings of shalom,
[your name and, if you wish, title]
When you finish, please repeat with your other Senator. If you live in DC and have no Senator, ask for Senators Schumer and McConnell (majority and minority leaders).
Please share this letter with your friends.
With blessings for shalom and salaam in your own life as you work for them in the world
— Arthur
Photo: Jeroen Bouman, International Court of Justice at The Hague. licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.