Looking forward to @esil-sedi.bsky.social's annual conference, where I'll be chairing the Agora on the Laws of War. This is a dark time to discuss these issues, which is also why they are so important. I'm glad that our panel focuses on issues that are key to understanding this moment.

1/ I worked at DoD. I literally cannot imagine lawyers coming up with a legal basis for lethal strike of suspected Venezuelan drug boat. Hard to see how this would not be "murder" or war crime under international law that DoD considers applicable. Read expert analysis by @bcfinucane.bsky.social⤵️

I don't remember a darker moment

Must read

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Earlier this week, we sent an urgent letter to Israeli authorities expressing grave concerns regarding the plan to expand the hostilities in Gaza, as reflected in statements by the Minister of Defense. The list of signatories reflects a broad consensus among local international law academics.

Read my analysis here

Catch up to speed with weekday morning Podcast. Latest news on President Trump's federal and military actions toward DC Ukraine ceasefire talks FBI purge More. Much, much more. Drawing from wide range of reliable news reporting.

Last week, we sent the following grave warning to Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the continuation and expansion of the war in Gaza.

הזמן אזל: הרעבה המונית בעזה וחובתו של העולם מאת טום דננבאום ואלכס דה ואל (Hebrew translation of essay) www.justsecurity.org/118239/%d7%9...

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2/ The Presidents' letter: "According to the considered judgments of prominent legal experts within Israel ... these proposals would constitute serious violations of international law, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity." Here's the apparent referent (Israeli scholars' letter)

1/ An inflection point The Presidents of five Israeli universities send letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu (more have joined the letter since) Calling on Netanyahu - to address hunger crisis in Gaza - to issue an "unequivocal condemnation" of recents statements by ministers

Sadly, my year at Cologne ends. It's been an amazing experience to visit the Cologne Center for International History and Law @chlcologne.bsky.social, and a privilege to inaugurate the Kelsen Visiting Professorship there. Anyone working on these subjects should follow this exciting new Center!

Since the start of the Gaza war, leading Israeli legal scholars have written numerous letters raising concerns over grave international law violations. We are publishing these letters for the first time in a collected English edition, with a summary by Kai Ambos. verfassungsblog.de/internationa...

1700 Israeli academics, including Nobel laureates, university presidents, provosts and deans send a clear message to Israeli government: do not pursue the population concentration plan in Gaza, as this is immoral, and would constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity.

Guess it’s time for Netanyahu to bomb someone

Thanks @timesofisrael.com for this detailed and in-depth report. www.timesofisrael.com/manifestly-i...

#ICJ judges must be perceived to embody impartiality. Roy Schondorf and Ava Drai argue that clearer ethical boundaries on perceived conflicts of interest must be developed to preserve the Court's continued authority and legitimacy. www.justsecurity.org/117167/judic...

Glad to see that @nytimes.com quoted our letter on the minister of defense's "plan" to push civilians in Gaza to a tent city in Rafah. There is still time to backtrack from this awful and illegal idea. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/w...

I am proud of my friends who wrote and signed this statement. Thank you!

Our letter was quoted by the Wall Street Journal. Full texe here: www.justsecurity.org/116904/israe...

Group of Israeli international law scholars send urgent letter to Israel’s Minister of Defense, IDF Chief of Staff, and Attorney General On plan to "concentrate" Palestinian population in South Gaza via @eliavl.bsky.social and @tamarmegiddo.bsky.social

Just uploaded an updated version of this article that includes reference to recent events such as the Iran-Israel war and the India-Pakistan clashes. Download here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Forget the illegality. You don't even need one semester of law school to realize that. Above all, the fact that in 2025 a defense minister of a sovereign state feels comfortable even saying such a thing out loud is a sign of a world utterly and completely broken.

What: Important discussion on Los Angeles and use of U.S. military Where: Pop-up YouTube Live⤵️ When: Thursday 11am ET Who: I'll moderate this panel of top experts @lizagoitein.bsky.social Mary McCord (@icapgeorgetown.bsky.social) @stevevladeck.bsky.social What Qs do you want us to address?

🚨 Volume 26 (2023) of the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law is now available! It features two chapters on ‘Humanitarian Actors’, two general chapters, and the ‘Year in Review’ that covers IHL-related developments throughout 2023. Link here: link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

rgent and immensely important call on the IDF chief of staff "to immediately allow and facilitate rapid an unimpeded humanitarian aid into Gaza" by @eliavl.bsky.social and other Israeli international law scholars. Read worthy, both from a legal and a humanitarian perspective.

This explicit turn to reprisals ("eye for an eye") has everything to do with the current weakness of bodies like the Security Council. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/w...

Looking forward to @esil-sedi.bsky.social's 2025 Annual Conference, and to chairing Agora 11 on Rethinking the Laws of War. Full programme and registration here: esil2025.de

Overall great meeting, small disagreement regarding Canada's sovereignty

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Stop everything the problem with global economic governance is too much emphasis on climate change and gender www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/b...

A recent Israeli Supreme Court decision on #humanitarian aid in #Gaza exposes the limits of #IHL to protect against conflict-induced civilian deprivation, writes Tamar Luster. www.justsecurity.org/110716/human...

www.npr.org/2025/04/21/n... Just saying again

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I have a serious trade deficit with the supermarket down the street

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/b... Your daily "trade deficit is a fake concept" post

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/o... Except that trade deficit is a fake concept

Check out our new @ajil.bsky.social series to showcase members of our incredible board—starting with @akinkugbe.bsky.social.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/o... This is precisely what Dworkin called a "checkerboarding" rule. Totally arbitrary and incoherent with any defendable principle.

I have a "trade deficit" with Netflix because I buy stuff from them but they dont buy from me which means they treat me unfairly? That's how you do it?

So... does the WTO still exist at this point?

Thanks!

Top Netanyahu aids arrested today in relation to Qatar-gate investigations. Netanyahu himself goes directly from his "usual" court hearing to the police to give a new testimony. www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-su...

Executive order says museum not racist enough:

"Takes responsibility": "I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but of all the people out there. Somehow this guy ... gets on somebody's contact and then gets sucked into this group." www.foxnews.com/media/nation...

The Signal-gate incident exemplifies the extent to which populist regimes are just incapable of taking anything seriously beyond self-entrenchment

Just saying

Wait but I thought corruption investigations are "deep state" stuff and legal weaponization