[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Occupation, Intervention, and Law and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the O.I.L. Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each biweekly roundup to OIL@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every other week.]
News
"Israel Announces 1,200 Planned Homes Over 1967 Line," Edmund Sanders
The Los Angeles Times reports on Israeli plans to build more than 1,000 new units on land in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and US attempts to dissuade Israel of said plans.
"Judge Finds Manning Not Guilty of Aiding the Enemy, Guilty of Espionage," Judith Tate, Ernesto Londoño
Tate and Londoño report for The Washington Post on the verdict in the Army trial of Pfc. Bradley Manning.
"US Files Charges Against Suspect in Benghazi Consulate Attack," Reuters
Reuters reports that the United States has filed charges against Libyan militia commander Ahmed Abu Khattala over the 11 September 2012 assault on a diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya.
"Lebanon to File Complaint Over Israeli Incursion," Mohammed Zaatari
Lebanon has announced its intent to file a complaint with the UN Security Council alleging Israeli forces have violated Security Council Resolution 1701 by crossing the UN-mandated Blue Line the two nations share.
"Bombs Target Iraqi Shoppers, Killing More Than 50," Reuters
Several car bombs killed 51 and wounded more than 100 in Baghdad on 6 August, 2013.
"Why Drone Attacks in Yemen are Like `Trying to Hit a Ghost`," Yalda Hakim
BBC News offers a report on the Yemeni response to the US drone strike campaign in the country.
"Qaeda Leader`s Edict to Yemen Affiliate is Said to Prompt Alert," Eric Schmitt, Mark Mazzetti
The New York Times reports on the Obama Administration decision to close two dozen diplomatic missions in Yemen and issue a worldwide travel alert after intercepting electronic communications in which al-Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahiri ordering an attack in the country.
"Guantanamo: Prison Camp`s Jailer-in-Chief Makes Jaw-Dropping U-Turn and Says It Should Never Have Been Built," David Rose
Rose writes in The Daily Mail of William Lietzau, a former Pentagon official who has spoken out against the legality of the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
"Iran Kurdish MP`s Slam Massacre of Syrian Kurds," Alalam
Kurdish legislators in Iran have called for international action to end the Syrian government massacre of people in Syrian Kurdish regions.
"Revealed: What the West Has Given Syria`s Rebels," Kim Sengupta
The Independent details the particulars of the United Kingdom weapons transfers to Syrian rebels-- reputedly totalling £8 Million.
"Obama Administration Authorized Recent Drone Strikes in Yemen," Greg Miller
Miller, writing for The Washington Post, summarizes the Obama authorization of a series of drone strikes in Yemen, a response to intelligence suggesting al-Qaeda had planned attacks on western targets in Yemen.
Blogs
"When I’m 64: The Geneva Conventions and the Obama Administration," John Bellinger
Writing on the 64th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Convention, Bellinger provides analysis of the Obama Administration approach to the Geneva Conventions with its armed conflict with the Taliban and al Qaeda.
"Configuring Admissibility Challenges in the ICC-Civil Dispute or Part of the Criminal Proceedings?," Gilad
Noam
Noam discusses issues of complementarity in international law raised by the recent Libyan challenge of the admissibility of the ICC`s prosecution of Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi.
"Emerging Voices: Limits to R2P–Lessons from the Arab Spring Conflicts," Aqsa Mahmud
Mahmud surveys international application and non application of Responsibility to Protect, a legal doctrine holding foreign intervention is permissible when States fail to protect their populations.
"Jodi Rudoren Intentionally Obscured Reality in Her Recent Piece on Beit Ommar," Bekah Wolf
Writing for Mondoweiss, Wolf argues the reporting of The New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Jodi Rudoren has an unstated agenda of "obscuring the harsh realities of [Palestinian] life under an occupying regime."
"`Yesterday I Lost a Country`: Kathleen Cavanaugh on Iraq," Karen Hoffmann
IntLawGrrrls features Cavanagh writing on minority rights in post-invasion Iraq for OUPBlog,
"Palestine and the ICC: Peace First, Justice (Maybe) Later," Mark Kersten
Kersten argues that in agreeing to peace talks with Israel, Palestinians have momentarily ceded the possibility of international legal action against Israel, and in doing so may exchange "justice" for "peace."
Commentary
"Snowden`s Asylum: `It`s the Law, Stupid`," Richard Falk
Falk argues for Al Jazeera English`s Opinion page that Russia has no "legal, political, or moral" duty to allow the US to extradite NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
"The Innocents Caught Under the Drones," Farea al-Muslimi
Writing in The Independent, al-Muslimi dismisses the idea that drone strikes in Yemen may play a role in the nation becoming more stable and democratic.
"Taking No Chances," The Economist
The Economist`s print edition examines the discrepancy between the Obama Administration`s dual claim that al-Qaeda is near defeat and more surveillance is needed to prevent terror.
"Too Much Work?," Linda Greenhouse
Greenhouse questions the wisdom of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts holding the sole authority to name judges to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
Reports
"Interactive Map: America`s War in America," PBS Frontline
Frontline provides an updated map of US drone strikes in Yemen, dating from 2000 through 2013.
"Iraq Violence Since 2008," GlobalPost
A timeline of post-invasion violence in Iraq, dating from 2008 through 2013.
"POTUS Press Conference," Ritika Singh
Singh provides a transcript of President Obama`s 9 August 2013 press conference on several proposals to reform controversial NSA surveillance programs.
Conferences
"International Law-Making and the United Nations;" 10 September 2013; New York, New York; Call for papers here.
On Jadaliyya
Numan Kanafan ",أين تذهب الاستقطاعات من أجور العمال الفلسطينيين في إسرائيل؟"
"The Hunt for the Mubaraks` Assets," George Richards
"نموت ويحيا الوطن," Brahim el Guabli
"How To Lose Friends and Alienate People: An Update on Drone Warfare," Lisa Hajjar
"O.I.L. Monthly Edition (July 2013)," O.I.L. Editors
"New Texts Out Now: Derya Bayir, Minorities and Nationalism in Turkish Law," Derya Bayir
Arabic Editors ",مقالة غسان كنفاني الأخيرة: ملحمة المعزاية والذئب"
"Debating the University California Campus Climate: Taking On the ADL and Limits on Speech," Jadaliyya Reports
Samir Qassim ",تل الزعتر: الرواية غير المحكية"
"Campaign to Boycott the Oral History Conference at Hebrew University of Jerusalem," Jadaliyya Reports