New Article: Giladi | Israel, the Genocide Convention, and the World Court 1950–1951

Giladi, Rotem. “Not Our Salvation: Israel, the Genocide Convention, and the World Court 1950–1951.” Diplomacy & Statecraft 26.3 (2015): 473-93.

 

URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09592296.2015.1067525

 

Abstract

Jewish individuals and organisations played a cardinal role in making and promoting the 1948 Genocide Convention. The early attitude of the Jewish state—established a few months before the Convention’s conclusion—has not hitherto been explored. This analysis reconstructs Israel’s involvement in the 1951 advisory proceedings at the International Court of Justice concerning the Convention. Based on Ministry of Foreign Affairs archives and Court records, it demonstrates that contrary to what scholarship on subsequent episodes assumes or implies, Israel had no particular attachment to, nor was it vested in, the Convention. Rather, its attitude ranged from indifference and disinterest to scepticism and hostility. It allowed Israeli diplomats to utilise the Convention as a means to affect other neither urgent nor imperative foreign policy ends.

 

 

New Article: Balachandran & Sethi, Israel–Gaza Crisis: Understanding the War Crimes Debate

Balachandran, G. and  Aakriti Sethi. “Israel–Gaza Crisis: Understanding the War Crimes Debate.” Strategic Analysis 39.2 (2015): 176-83.

URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09700161.2014.1000668

Excerpt

The future of the Israel–Gaza war crime trials is a complex puzzle. Even though the new crisis has come to an end with the help of Egypt, the long-term solution to this age-long crisis is still far from being fostered and accepted by the international order. The recent war crimes committed by both actors only make matters more complicated for the historically rooted conflict between Israel and Palestine. The Gaza conflict might be over but Israel is now gearing up for the legal procedures pertaining to the possible war crimes allegations. The army has been preparing itself for conducting internal investigations of its wartime actions and has prepared a detailed public relations campaign of satellite photos and video clips, hoping to persuade the world that its war against Hamas was justified. The argument of Israel will be weighed against the principle of proportionality, which is essentially a judgement call on whether the force applied was reasonable.

[…]

A lot depends on how the issue will be dealt with by the members of the UNSC, the decision of Palestine to take matters directly to the ICC and the eventual findings of the commission appointed by the UNHRC. Whether it is Israel or Palestine, the big question will always be: What will it take to solve the Israel–Palestine issue? The answer is not simple, with the shaping of the diplomatic environment being key in the possible permanent closure of this crisis. Even though many countries consider the war crimes trial as a probable thorn on the way to peace negotiations, denying justice to the people who suffered can in no way build a strong base for long-term peace and harmony between Israel and Palestine. But the historically deeply rooted religious and cultural mistrust between the people of both nations, amidst the volatile geopolitical setting of the world today, makes the task of international organisations and leaders to foster unanimously accepted closure of this crisis a herculean one.

Reviews: Craig, International Legitimacy and the Politics of Security

Craig, Alan. International Legitimacy and the Politics of Security. The Strategic Deployment of Lawyers in the Israeli Military. Lanham, MD: Lexington, 2013.

 

 

Reviews:

Bendor, Ariel. “Review.” Israel Studies Review 29.2 (2014): 155-157.

Belge, Ceren. “Review.” International Journal of Middle East Studies 47.1 (2015): 179-180.

ToC: Journal of Palestine Studies 44.1 (2014)

Table of Contents Alert

University of California Press is happy to notify you that the new issue of Journal of Palestine Studies is now available. The online issues of this journal are hosted on JSTOR on behalf of University of California Press.

Journal of Palestine Studies Vol. 44, No. 1, Autumn 2014 SPECIAL ISSUE: OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Institute for Palestine Studies

Cover Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1 Front Matter Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1 Table of Contents Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1 FROM THE EDITOR The Dahiya Doctrine, Proportionality, and War Crimes Rashid I. Khalidi Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 5-13. ANALYSIS OF THE WAR Politicide in Gaza: How Israel’s Far Right Won the War Max Blumenthal Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 14-28. Another Freedom Summer Robin D.G. Kelley Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 29-41. The Psychosis of Permanent War Chris Hedges Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 42-51. The Twelve Wars on Gaza Jean-Pierre Filiu Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 52-60. The Implications of Joining the ICC after Operation Protective Edge Victor Kattan Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 61-73. Photos Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 74-75. AN OFFICIAL PERSPECTIVE Interview with Hanan Ashrawi: Oslo, the PA, and Reinventing the PLO Rashid Khalidi Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 76-87. Photos Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 88-90. DISSECTING THE DISCOURSE Blaming the Victims Diana Buttu Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 91-96. Crisis Moments: Shifting the Discourse Yousef Munayyer Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 97-105. Interview with Noura Erakat: Framing the Palestinian Narrative Nehad Khader Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 106-117. Photos Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 118-119. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS After the Smoke Clears: Gaza’s Everyday Resistance Laila El-Haddad Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 120-125. Interview with Dr. Basil Baker: Quick Death under Fire, Slow Death under Siege Nehad Khader Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 126-132. A Response to Elie Wiesel Sara Roy Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 133-134. Photos Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 135-136. CENTENNIAL PERSPECTIVE Palestine and Palestine Studies: One Century after World War I and the Balfour Declaration Walid Khalidi Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 137-147. RECENT BOOKS Review: The Battle for Justice in Palestine The Battle for Justice in Palestine by by Ali Abunimah Review by: Richard Falk Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 148-150. Review: 40 Years of Israeli Occupation: 1967–2007 40 Years of Israeli Occupation: 1967–2007 by by Hiltrud Awad; Hilmi S. Salem; Suhail Khalilieh; Jad Issac Review by: Ahmad El-Atrash and Lubna Shaheen Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 150-152. Review: Arab Christians in British Mandate Palestine: Communalism and Nationalism, 1917–1948 Arab Christians in British Mandate Palestine: Communalism and Nationalism, 1917–1948 by Noah Haiduc-Dale Review by: George Emile Irani Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 152-154. Review: UNRWA and Palestinian Refugees: From Relief and Works to Human Development UNRWA and Palestinian Refugees: From Relief and Works to Human Development by edited by Sari Hanafi; Leila Hilal; Lex Takkenberg Review by: Benjamin Schiff Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 154-156. Review: Zionism and Land Tenure in Mandate Palestine Zionism and Land Tenure in Mandate Palestine by by Aida Asim Essaid Review by: Michael R. Fischbach Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 156-158. Review: Unfree in Palestine: Registration, Documentation and Movement Restriction Unfree in Palestine: Registration, Documentation and Movement Restriction by by Nadia Abu-Zahra; Adah Kay Review by: Roger Heacock Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 158-160. Review: Memories of Absence: How Muslims Remember Jews in Morocco Memories of Absence: How Muslims Remember Jews in Morocco by by Aomar Boum Review by: Sami Shalom Chetrit Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 160-163. SELECTIONS FROM THE PRESS Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 164-190. PALESTINE UNBOUND Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 191-203. UPDATE ON CONFLICT AND DIPLOMACY Ben White Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 204-237. DOCUMENTS AND SOURCE MATERIAL Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 238-272. JPS Responds to Israel’s Prime Minister Journal of Palestine Studies Autumn 2014, Vol. 44, No. 1: 273-274.

New Article: Azarov, Perils and Prospects of the Palestinian UN Bid

Azarov, Valentina. “An International Legal Demarche for Human Rights? Perils and Prospects of the Palestinian UN Bid.” International Journal of Human Rights 18.4-5 (2014): 527-44.

 

URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13642987.2014.914028

 

Abstract

The Palestinian UN bid has the potential to enhance Palestinian claims for respect of human rights and international law and mobilise international opposition to Israel’s unlawful conduct. Participation in international organisations and ratification of treaties fortify Palestine’s legal and political status within the international legal order, enabling it to call for the non-recognition by third states of unlawful Israeli conduct in the context of their inter-state relations with Israel. The UN bid also facilitates access to international courts, including the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, which may deter Israel’s unlawful conduct and contribute to the production of normative assessments of situations under Palestinian jurisdiction.