Israel to halt targeted killings of Palestinian militants News
Israel to halt targeted killings of Palestinian militants

[JURIST] Israeli security officials said Wednesday that Israel would suspend its targeted killings [BBC News backgrounder] of Palestinian militants as part of its preparations for a cease-fire and a resumption of peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. Israel will not act on its current target list of militants, but security officials say that if Palestinians resume hostile activity, those responsible will be targeted. AP has more. Israel came under fire for its targeted killing of Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin last year, which was widely condemned as contrary to international law [JURIST report; additional report from JURIST]. Prior to the Yassin assassination, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz argued that Israel's policy of targeted killings was legal [JURIST report].

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.