[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
"European Court Backs CIA Rendition Victim," Al Jazeera English
The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Macedonia to pay German citizen Khaled el-Masri $78,000 for arresting and handing him over to the US, finding that he was an innocent victim of the CIA`s extraordinary rendition.
"UK Pays $3.5m to Settle Libya Rendition Claim," Al Jazeera English
Sami al Saadi, a Libyan opponent of Gadaffi forcibly sent to Libya in 2004, where he faced torture at the hands of the Gaddafi regime, has accepted a settlement of $3.5m from the United Kingdom for its role in his rendition.
"Susan Rice Withdraws as Candidate for Secretary of State," Karen DeYoung and Anne Gearan
UN Ambassador Susan Rice has withdrawn her name from consideration as a candidate for secretary of state, writing in her letter to President Obama officially withdrawing that her likely lengthy confirmation battle would be "distracting and disruptive" to the President`s second term.
"Hamas Holds Rally in West Bank, in Sign of Thawing Palestinian Rift," Joel Greenberg
Hamas held their first permitted rally in the West Bank in five years on 13 December 2012, an event contributing to what Hamas supporters and Fatah leaders are describing as a "positive mood" for reconciliation efforts between the two factions.
"Court Urges Reroute of Planned West Bank Barrier," Reuters
Israel`s High Court has given Israel`s Defense Ministry 90 days to respond to a decision urging the rerouting of construction of a 500-metre section of the separation wall in the West Bank. The sectioning question would run through the village of Battir and would allegedly disrupt agricultural activity in the village as well as a number of proposed World Heritage sites.
"17-year-old Palestinian Killed on His Birthday by Israeli Soldier," Al-Haq
Muhammad Ziad al-Salayma, a seventeen year old living in Hebron, was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier while walking near Checkpoint 160 following an exchange of words; the precise circumstances of his death remain unclear.
"Official: Iran, Nuclear Watchdog Group Deal Close," Chelsea J. Carter, Saskya Vandoorne
Shortly after the United States announcement of a new round of sanctions targeting Iranian companies and individuals allegedly contributing to Iran`s nuclear program, the IAEA and Iran have reportedly concluded "constructive" talks towards an eventual goal of negotiation and IAEA access to a military complex where Iran has reportedly tested nuclear material.
"Israel Will Withhold Palestinian Tax Revenues at Least Until March," Al Jazeera English
In response to the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN, Israel has announced its intention to withhold about $100 million generally used to pay public sector salaries in the Palestinian territories each month, claiming it plans to use the money to pay debts Palestinians owe to various Israeli utility corporations.
"Senate Panel Approves Findings Critical of Detainee Interrogations," Scott Shane
The New York Times reports the Senate has approved the "most comprehensive" and "highly critical" report to date on the CIA`s detention and interrogation program of alleged al Qaeda combatants; in approving the report, the Senate has taken the first step in the political process of declassifying much of what is known about the CIA`s post-9/11 torture practices.
"Josh Begley Tweets Entire History of U.S. Drone Attacks," Jake Heller
The Daily Beast covers the efforts of Josh Begley, the man behind the rejected "Drones + iPhone" application which mapped and sent notifications to users on new drone strikes in real time, to tweet every drone strike, beginning with the first known attack in 2002 in Yemen and concluding with the most recent strikes.
Blogs
"Self Determination and the Syrian Conflict – Recognition of Syrian Opposition as Sole Legitimate Representative of the Syrian People: What Does this Mean and What Implications Does it Have?," Dapo Akande
Writing for EJIL` Talk! blog, Akande examines the United States and United Kingdom`s recent recognition of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (NCS) as the "sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people" and asks, "what does it mean to recognize an entity as the legitimate representative of…[a] people?", and what are the legal consequences?
"Detention Law Challenge Fails," Lyle Denniston
Denniston of SCOTUSBlog examines the legal reasoning behind Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg`s recent refusal to block enforcement of a law broadly enhancing the executive branch`s authority to detain individuals thought to have provided support for terrorism.
"Palestinian Statehood and the ICC," Jens David Ohlin
Ohlin examines recent academic debate in light of Palestine`s recent upgrade in status at the UN over the extent to which International Criminal Court`s holds jurisdiction over war crimes committed in the Palestinian Authority by Israel, concluding that one`s take on the debate largely rests on their understanding of the extent to which ICC jurisdiction is meant to end "impunity for criminal conduct".
"A Brief Reply on the Legal Bases for Intervention in Syria," Daniel Bethlehem
Bethlehem, responding on Opinio Juris to the blog`s own Julian Ku`s thoughts on the basis for a US intervention in Syria in the event Assad turns to chemical warfare, provides a number of legal frameworks for an action in Syria under the chemical warfare hypothetical, concluding that while a "focused Chapter VII authorization by the UN Security Council" would be the ideal outcome, it is far from the only legal option.
Commentary
"Rendition, Zero Dark Thirty and the Brutal Reality of Britain`s Secret Services," Henry Porter
Henry Porter writes in The Observer writes of the upcoming film Zero Dark Thirty in the context of the debate surrounding its torture scenes and Sami al-Saadi`s recent settlement with the UK over his subjection to extraordinary rendition, noting that for all the faults of its torture sequences, nothing in the film captures "the terrible effects of rendition and torture on the victims and their families" or "the hypocrisy of western governments that outsourced brutality" behind such policies.
"The War over Hagel is on," Philip Weiss
Weiss reports on the possibility of Chuck Hagel`s appointment to Secretary of Defense, and the efforts of "neoconservatives at the Weekly Standard and the Republican Jewish Coalition" to portray Hagel, who has made statements in the past critical of the pro-Israel lobby, as anti-Semitic at worst or an "Israel-hater who would appease Iran" at best.
"Rendition Condemned," James Goldston
Goldston, Khaled el-Masri`s representative in his recent victory before the European Court of Human Rights, writes in the New York Times` Opinion page that el-Masri`s compensation for his ordeal under rendition provides the Obama administration with an opportunity to end the "absence of legal accountability" long present in counterterrorism efforts--something he suggests might be accomplished by establishing a commission that would investigate and acknowledge the wrongs done to el-Masri and others.
"The Future of International Law and Human Rights: An Interview with Richard Falk," Cihan Aksan, Jon Bailes
Richard Falk, interviewed for Counterpunch, discusses Western hegemony over international law, the legal basis of charging Donald Rumsfeld and other US state representatives with war crimes and torture charges, and the likelihood of US participation in the International Criminal Court.
"The Dirty Dozen: Israel`s Racist Ringleaders," David Sheen
Writing for The Electronic Intifada, Sheen examines the racially charged statements of twelve Israeli public officials against sub-Saharan refugees seeking asylum in Israel, suggesting that hatred in Israeli society of African asylum-seekers suggests Israel`s refusal to grant rights to Palestinians is "based on an ideology of racism towards people who are not Jewish
Reports
"Case of El-Masri v. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Judgment (pdf)," European Court of Human Rights
The ECHR`s judgment in the case of Khaled el-Masri, ordering Macedonia to compensate the German citizen for its role in his capture and eventual extraordinary rendition at the hands of the United States.
Conferences
"International Criminal Law Research Forum," 14 December 2012; John Marshall Law School, Chicago IL, Inquire for more information here.
On Jadaliyya
"A Separate Piece?: Gaza and the “No-State Solution," Darryl Li
"A New Mohawk," Chavisa Woods
"On the Insignificance of Stevie Wonder," Mouin Rabbani
"No, Israel Does Not Have the Right to Self-Defense In International Law Against Occupied Palestinian Territory," Noura Erakat
"The Limits of International Law Legalese," Lama Abu Odeh
"Is Gaza Still Occupied and Why Does It Matter?," Lisa Hajjar
"A Tale of Two Interviews," Habib Battah
"O.I.L. Monthly Edition on Jadaliyya (November 2012)," O.I.L. Editors
"Themed Issue of International Review of the Red Cross: The Future of Humanitarian Action," Jadaliyya Reports
"In Honor of Titans," Mouin Rabbani
"Colonial Planning of My Grandfather’s Hilltop," Dana Erekat
"Atatürk and My Grandfather," Khaled Hroub
"European Court of Human Rights Judgment: El-Masri v. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," Jadaliyya Reports
"Malala, Abandoned to the Hawks of War," Mehwash S. Ansari