Judge dismisses Oakland-based suit seeking to block US aid to Israel
Protesters in Oakland call for a ceasefire in Gaza and want the Biden administration held accountable for what many consider to be genocide. Jan. 26, 2024.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Despite the chanting and protests from a vocal group of pro-Palestinians last week, a federal judged on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit that aimed to block U.S. aid to Israel for a military campaign against Hamas.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White granted the Biden administration's request to throw out the case because foreign policy is constitutionally the purview of the political branches of government and disputes over foreign policy are political questions that can't be decided by the courts, Courthouse News reported.
Still, the judge noted there is evidence put forth by the International Court of Justice that the treatment of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military "may plausibly constitute a genocide in violation of international law."
So far, about 26,000 people in Gaza have died.
Courthouse News reported that Katherine Gallagher, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights who represents the plaintiffs, are considering an appeal.