Eine Stellungnahme mit deutschen Kollegen in Rechts- und Politikwissenschaften zu der fehlgeleiteten deutschen Außenpolitik im Kontext des völkerrechtswidrigen Angriffs auf den Iran.

American Presidents invariably claim that the use of U.S. military force abroad benefits the local population. U.S. Presidents often explicitly or implicitly claim that "the intervened population" therefore welcomes U.S. military intervention - a powerful moral claim.

When the US or Israel blatantly violate int law for their own gain we mustn't mistake it for an effort to reform an imperfect system of laws. Thanks @tomdannenbaum.bsky.social & @bechamilton.bsky.social for saying this with clarity and integrity. justsecurity.org/133417/aggre...

The NYT Investigative team (and other news outlets) have reported in detail on the attack against the Elementary School in Minab, Iran. I had the opportunity to comment, but the law is not the story so there is more to be said. Allow me to elaborate:

Excellent explainer with analysis from @janinadill.bsky.social, @oonahathaway.bsky.social, @adhaque.bsky.social, Ben Saul, and Marko Milanovic: www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/u...

British PM Starmer says that U.K. bases will only be used for ’defensive’ operations and not ‘offensive’ ops. But how can that be so when they are being used by the aggressor? Great discussion here with Milanovic, @adhaque.bsky.social @janinadill.bsky.social www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/u...

📣 Reminder: Join us on 12 March (16–18h) at the Paulinum, Leipzig, for our panel “Peace and Security in Times of Hybrid Threats.” 🗣️Panel: Dr. Astrid Irrgang (ZIF) Prof. Dr. @janinadill.bsky.social (ECLAC) Oberst i.G. Katharina Benford (BAKS) Ulrich Hörning, Mayor of Leipzig German and English!

The UK's legal position on the use of its bases in the Middle East is solid with one glaring hole: The US cannot act in collective self-defence with the Gulf States. It is the aggressor. Ergo the UK cannot assist the US in collective self-defence.

Rousing speeches on European assertiveness & middle powers countering hard power do not a viable foreign policy make, it turns out. European, EU & Canadian responses to the US/Israeli aggression against Iran are short-sighted and help weaken the legal rules these countries depend on.

Winter 2026 issue preview @intsecurity.bsky.social! R. Krebs| why populists love dead soldiers @janinadill.bsky.social et al. | local consent for military interventions @lmaschmeyer.bsky.social | AI & cyberattacks Brenner | AI & strategic surprise @johnseverini.bsky.social & Biddle | naval warfare

I'll be watching this today as I missed it when it was live, and some of the commentators are always excellent, like @janinadill.bsky.social. Do take a look. #IHL #InternationalLaw www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzLS...

Watch the recording of our Conversation on Security and Accountability in a Disintegrating Legal Order at the Munich Security Conference here: securityconference.org/msc-2026/oef...

📣 Join us on 12 March (16–18h) at the Paulinum, Leipzig, for our panel “Peace and Security in Times of Hybrid Threats,” held in the context of the AFK Conference. 🗣️Panel: Dr. Astrid Irrgang (ZIF) Prof. Dr. @janinadill.bsky.social (ECLAC) Oberst i.G. Katharina Benford (BAKS) German and English!

Let’s talk about International Law at the Munich Security Conference! “A Conversation on Security & Accountability in a Disintegrating Legal Order” When: Friday 13 February at 10:30-11:15 am Where: Dachgarten Lounge, Hotel Bayrischer Hof Live-streamed on the @munsecconf.bsky.social website

A pleasure to work with the European Nuclear Studies Group on what Europe can do to secure nuclear deterrence. The danger: when every option has huge costs & risks political incentives are not do anything at all. But staying the course is no option at all. securityconference.org/en/publicati...

I had the opportunity to speak to the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the illegal US intervention in Venezuela. The UK must decide between "leading on international law" and "the special relationship", if the latter is a reflexive support of now legally unconstrained US Foreign Policy.

3 years into the war, Ukrainians' resistance territorial concessions has weakened slightly (compared to 07/2022 when we first ran this experiment), but they STILL categorically resist Russian control. New paper with @marniehowlett.bsky.social & @carlmc.bsky.social academic.oup.com/jpr/advance-...

If you are in Oxford, join us next Monday when Professor Eugene Rogan and I will be in Conversation with Omer Bartov about his new Book. Registration required, link below: www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/events/conve...

EVENT: In conversation with Omer Bartov Join Omer Bartov, Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, in conversation with Profs Eugene Rogan and @janinadill.bsky.social, about his new book 'Israel: What Went Wrong?'. 📆 19 January, 5pm, in person only Register ⬇️ www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/events/conve...

I mean sure, but you know who else helped? Germany. Germany's behaviour during the 2-year long carnage in Gaza also helped. You cannot pick and choose. International law is not a menu. You have to respect it. Always. Otherwise it breaks down and then we're where we are now. #IntLaw #Germany

I wrote an Expert Comment for the University of Oxford on the implications of the US aggression against Venezuela for International Law and Global Security. My argument in brief below: www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-01...

Some thoughts on DW News about what US actions in Venezuela mean for int. law & global security. Every state that cannot on its own stand up militarily to the US has an interest in not weakening the prohibition on invasion & head of state immunity. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbvP...

I fear we are going to have to say this a lot again: Int law prohibits bombing countries for the sake of democracy. FOR VERY GOOD REASON. It tends not to work. Attacking a country because its leader lacks legitimacy - whether as pretext or sincerely held rationale - is still just an aggression.

“the principles of international law” rather prohibit bombing countries because their leaders “lack legitimacy”.

„Was fehlt, ist eine schlagkräftige Stellungnahme der ARD-Oberen an prominenter Stelle, ein von einer breiteren Öffentlichkeit wahrnehmbares Signal, dass angesichts von Grenzüberschreitungen (bspw. „das Gesicht vom neu-deutschen Juden- und Israelhass“) notwendig ist.“ uebermedien.de/111859/alles...

This in depth @cnn.com investigation is not an easy read, but the bottom line is clear: bulldozing dead bodies into unmarked mass-graves is irreconcilable with #IHL demands to respect the dignity of the dead and prevent them from becoming the missing. edition.cnn.com/2025/12/03/m...

A fascinating scene to understand how personalistic regimes work. First, there is an in-or-out decision by the leader. This is always in flux, deliberately uncertain and essential to extract rents and exert power. When you are on the inside the substance of what you say and do becomes secondary.

👥 Meet the panelists for: “Launch of the Updated Commentary on the Fourth Geneva Convention.” The panelists will come together for a dynamic discussion on the Commentary’s key findings and their practical implications. Register now: bit.ly/49Ei3Gi @icrc.org #GenevaConventions #GCIV

Looking forward to speaking about the War in #Gaza and International law at the Canadian Council on International Law this coming Friday. Say "hi" if you are in Ottawa. site.pheedloop.com/event/ccilcc...

Falls ihr dieses wirklich sehr kluge Interview mit @valentimvicente.bsky.social noch nicht gelesen habt, kommt hier ein Geschenklink ohne Paywall. Und ich freu mich wahnsinnig auf das Buch! www.zeit.de/politik/2025...

Reports of mass killings and targeted attacks against health facilities in El Fasher. @HRL_YaleSPH identifies apparent "pools of blood" visible from space. Western governments need to increase pressure on the conflict parties. files-profile.medicine.yale.edu/documents/b9...

On the theme of #AHouseofDynamite How do we decide whether a nuclear missile attack is real ? Listen to Steve Fleming (@smfleming.bsky.social) telling the story of Stanislav Petrov. Is a nuclear war a taboo? Listen to Janina Dill (@janinadill.bsky.social) talking about the nuclear winter.

Let's be clear drawing and enforcing a "Yellow Line" across Gaza that civilians cannot approach/cross is incompatible with international law.

Professor Janina Dill is cited in Der Spiegel on the destruction of a Wastewater treatment plant in Gaza by retreating IDF soldiers. ⬇️ https://ow.ly/zys950XgJsI

EVENT: The war in Gaza and the unmaking of the Middle East 📅 22 Oct, 5pm – in person Andrew Miller and Prof Janina Dill explore how the conflict reshaped regional dynamics, destabilised fragile orders and reverberated across global security. Register here ⬇️ https://ow.ly/hO8o50XavtB

"Beyond #Staatsraison" Experts calling for a new German policy in the Middle East that complies with Int Law I am glad to have signed this paper 👇The paper in German and English is here staatsraison.net/en/coming-so...

"Jenseits der #Staatsraison" für eine Neue Deutsche Nahostpolitik, die sich klar zum Völkerrecht bekennt Ich bin froh dieses Papier unterzeichnet zu haben 👇Papier auf deutsch & englisch staatsraison.net/en/coming-so... 👇Bundespressekonferenz der Initiatoren www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0Zr...

Podiumsdiskussion zu "Macht & Ohnmacht des Int. Rechts"; ein interessanter Einblick in den 🇩🇪 Diskurs zu Recht, auch bzgl Gaza, obwohl die recht kontroverse Diskussion mit dem Publikum nicht gezeigt wird ... mit Isabelle Ley & @ndeitelhoff.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zvE...

It's easy to see this speech as just weirdly performative, but there's a lot more—and a lot worse—going on here. The meeting & speeches are part of a larger project aimed at promoting the military leadership’s partisan alignment with the administration. How? 1/

In this post @tomdannenbaum.bsky.social & I trace how the Starmer Government's repeatedly misconstrues its obligations under the Genocide Convention in #Gaza, hiding behind a Court judgement that is years away with a position that we call "legally illiterate" and "morally indefensible".

A critical call to protect the #ICC in the face of looming US sanctions. As the current US administration is going rogue with sanctions, European states will need to come too grips with how to protect their nationals, their institutions and the rule of law.

Grateful for the opportunity to provide a longer explainer on DW about ❎ Germany's duties under the Genocide Convention ❎ the UN Commission of Inquiry's Report ❎ in what sense Germany is drawing the wrong lesson from its history www.youtube.com/watch?v=APSJ...

It was nice to be included in "The Living Library of Knowledge" with my attempt to explain 1) law and morality in war, 2) the current crisis of compliance in the laws or war, and 3) nuclear deterrence. www.joinexpeditions.com/experts/4630...

Looking forward to talking about law and power in international politics... Ich freue mich auf die Diskussion zu Recht und Macht in der Internationalen Politik tomorrow/morgen im Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften Bad Homburg Stop by if u are around aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de/english/bad-...

Comment on the UN Commission of Enquiry's Report alleging genocide in Gaza in English (3:30) for Deutsche Welle With insightful commentary from Geoffrey Nice www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6rR...

Es war mir wichtig die Möglichkeit wahrzunehmen im deutschen Fernsehen den Report der UN Kommission zum Völkermord & Israels Bodenoffensive in Gaza rechtlich einzuordnen. (3:18 min) Fazit: Israel Vorgehen is weder rechtlich noch moralische zu rechtfertigen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=urJh...

Even just reading these paragraphs of the UN Commission of Inquiry is painful. Anyone anywhere participating or helping to commit these atrocities is an international criminal.

"Countries should have become aware of the risk that Israel is perpetrating a genocide in Gaza months ago." Prof @janinadill.bsky.social comments as the UN commission inquiry finds Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. ⬇️