“An intentional act of injustice is an injury. A Nation has therefore the right to punish it…. This right to resist injustice is derived from the right of self-protection.” Emmerich de Vattel, The Law of Nations or the Principles of Natural Law 1758) Israel’s law-based conflict with Hezbollah and Hamas terrorism is grounded in the [...]
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on Israeli civilians, resulting in deaths and hostage-taking. Reports of various atrocities, including sexual abuse, emerged. The victims included not only Israelis but also citizens of other countries such as France and Germany. The attack shocked the international community and drew widespread condemnation from governments worldwide. However, [...]
In 2012, Governor Mitt Romney was the Republican candidate for President of the United States, and Representative Paul Ryan (Wisconsin) ran for Vice President of the United States, as Mitt Romney’s running mate. On August 23, 2012, I published an article, on Jurist, discussing whether Representative Ryan, should he prevail in both elections, could concurrently [...]
Nearly two decades have passed, but Sammy remembers his father’s words clearly. Then a young professional, Sammy was out for a walk with his family in 2007 when they came across a convoy of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) vehicles, he told me in a recent interview. His little brother asked what ISAF was, and [...]
It has been a longstanding principle of judicial restraint in the US that judges ought not to read their politics or personal preferences into the laws of the republic. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, dissenting in the same-sex marriage case Obergefell v. Hodges, wrote that “Under the Constitution, judges have power to say what [...]
On June 18, 2024, huge demonstrations broke out in Kenya over the contested Finance Bill 2024. These protests initially intended to compel legislators to reject the bill, which featured provisions that would financially burden Kenyans. Unlike the previous protests against the Finance Bill 2023, this one had several distinguishing characteristics. Primarily, the country’s Gen Z youth spearheaded these [...]
Member states of the United Nations are bound by the rule of law, both within their borders and in their interactions on the global stage. This legal framework includes international humanitarian law, which aims to protect civilians during times of armed conflict. Israel, as a member state, has an obligation under the Fourth Geneva Convention [...]
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. – Viktor E. Frankl Content warning: This essay briefly describes a suicide attempt. If you or someone you know are/is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please [...]
Here, the author Pitasanna Shanmugathas a graduate from Vermont Law looks at the reprisals faced by prominent whistleblowers in the wake of Julian Assange’s release, and the threat whistleblower prosecutions raise to media freedom and the principles of transparency and accountability in government… The release of Julian Assange after years of legal battles highlights the [...]
In early June, Israel carried out a daring rescue, freeing four hostages who had been taken and held for eight months by Hamas and, in flagrant violation of international law, embedding the hostages within families in housing full of civilians, including many children—also a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the laws of war. All major news [...]
