Yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments against several senior leaders of Hamas for the killing of American citizens. It is right and proper that the U.S. should pursue justice on behalf of its citizens and pursue accountability of those who have killed Americans. But where, then, are the indictments of Israeli and IDF senior leaders for the murder of American Shireen Abu Akleh? Of American Omar Asad? Of American Tawfiq Ajaq? Of American Mohammad Khdour? Of, for that matter, American Rachel Corrie? And, more broadly, where is the justice for the 40,000 Palestinians killed by American weapons, and the accountability for the U.S. officials who have approved their transfer to Israel knowing full well of the likelihood they would be used to slaughter innocent civilians – in violation of both U.S. and international laws?
All the levers of American justice are (again, rightly) proactive in their pursuit of justice for Americans killed by Hamas, but when it comes to Americans killed by Israel, not only are they silent, with bland deferrals from podiums, but the wheels of American power turn precisely to deny accountability – speaking up to defend the Israeli military courts (those same courts that imprison thousands of children without charge in furtherance of an illegal occupation), and applying all the tools of American power short, so far, of actual force, to prevent the international mechanisms of justice – the ICC and ICJ – from doing their jobs.
On the walls of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. is written the line “Where law ends, tyranny begins.” When it comes to Israel, American law, and American justice end.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-terrorism-charges-against-senior-leaders-hamas
DOJ release: