US Congress 'Deeply Concerned' By ICJ Ruling They'll Ignore
The ICJ calls for aid access and implicitly condemns Israel’s ongoing occupation (as reported by The New Arab). Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives recently passed HR 8034, a bill delivering $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, with a bipartisan majority. This particular gravy train includes $4 billion for missile defense, essentially subsidizing the very military actions the ICJ questions.
Historically, this echoes past administrations ignoring similar rulings; for instance, the Reagan administration dismissed the ICJ's 1986 decision condemning US support for Contras in Nicaragua. The pattern repeats as if international law is merely a suggestion box for the favored few. One might wonder if these rulings are whispered into the void when Senator Tim Scott, for example, receives
$273,208 from pro-Israel groups (according to OpenSecrets.org data for the 2024 cycle) and then staunchly defends policies that defy international consensus. How many ICJ pronouncements does it take for US policymakers to acknowledge, let alone act upon, legal obligations? Or is the only court that matters the one where campaign contributions are filed?