Legal Battles, International Law, Justice Archives

Business in Occupied Territories Tests the Limits of International Law

27Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Human rights, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Types of News: Analysis

Business in Occupied Territories Tests the Limits of International Law

More than 200 companies are doing business in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, supporting illegal settlements, according the the United Nations. Photo by Levi Meir Clancy courtesy Unsplash. Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia and other major companies appear in a UN database examining business activities connected to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, raising questions about corporate responsibility for human rights. September 28, 2026—Businesses operating in occupied Palestinian territories are not bound by international law in the same way that UN-member states are, but they are not exempt from upholding human rights either. Hundreds of companies headquartered in 11 countries conduct business in or near Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to an u...

Notable Quotable: Louis Henkin, 1917-2017

22Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Human rights, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice

Notable Quotable: Louis Henkin, 1917-2017

'Almost All Nations Observe Almost All Principles of International Law Almost All the Time' Louis Henkin was diplomat, human rights advocate, and legal scholar in constitutional and international law. (born 1917-died 2010) “Almost all nations observe almost all principles of international law and almost all of their obligations almost all of the time.” – Louis Henkin, in 1968 book How Nations Behave: Law and Foreign Policy Louis Henkin argued in favor of a rules-based international system, saying it is easier and practical for nations to abide by international norms and laws because nation-states ultimately benefit from predictable relations.

Class Action Lawsuit Challenges State Department, U.S. Weapons Makers Over ‘Israeli Exceptionalism’

6Sep

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Human rights, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

Class Action Lawsuit Challenges State Department, U.S. Weapons Makers Over ‘Israeli Exceptionalism’

Plaintiffs Charge Illegal Support for ‘Gross Violations of Human Rights’ in Lebanon September 6, 2026—Lebanese Americans in Michigan are suing Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with weapons-makers Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Caterpillar, asserting corporate negligence and violations by the government of the U.S. Leahy Laws, which bars military sales to a country committing human rights violations. The lawsuit accuses the State Department of defying U.S. laws by creating “special mechanisms” in its review of the Israeli military, in effect creating “a far more lenient, bureaucratic, and convoluted review process” to avoid enforcing the Leahy Laws. The impact is policies and procedures that provide an “Israeli exceptionalism” for human rights violations. It further charges the comp...

China, Russia Cite ‘Root Causes’ in Veto of Resolution on Strait of Hormuz

9Apr

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy and International Law, Global Trade, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos

China, Russia Cite ‘Root Causes’ in Veto of Resolution on Strait of Hormuz

UN Security Council Positions Reflect Differences of Law Based on Alliances April 9, 2026—A trickle of shipping traffic went through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after a tenuous two-week ceasefire came together through last-minute negotiations mediated by Pakistan. Iran maintains control over the narrow passage, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supply and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies once flowed. On Tuesday, in the 10130th meeting of the UN Security Council, delegates considered a draft plan to “compel Iran to implement” a UN resolution, 2817, which condemned attacks on the Gulf states and reaffirmed the “exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law.” The meeting revealed the vastl...

Cross-Border Gun Trafficking to Cartels: The Legal Side of the Issue

19Mar

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Arms Sales, Military Industry, Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Types of News: Analysis, Types of News: Videos

Cross-Border Gun Trafficking to Cartels: The Legal Side of the Issue

https://youtu.be/CnnpLrYnr_8?si=NKwSMDJZNQVE67E8 Interview with Attorney Jonathan Lowy of the Global Action on Gun Violence: March 19, 2026—In a landmark case that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, Mexico and a team of lawyers sued U.S. gun manufacturers for crimes committed by criminals and cartels armed with military-grade U.S.-made weapons. The Supreme Court shut that case down last June, upholding immunity for gun makers. But the story didn't end there. The case garnered worldwide attention—a factor that impacts public interest and policymaking. Moreoever, the litigating team is still active. Mexico and its team of lawyers are litigating a separate case in Arizona against gun dealers. Jonathan Lowy, founder and president of Global Action on Gun Violence, provides an ...

Arab Group Condemns Israel’s Illegal Annexation Plans

10Feb

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Diplomacy and International Law, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, Types of News: Videos

Arab Group Condemns Israel’s Illegal Annexation Plans

Israeli Settlers and Military Committed a Thousand Crimes in a Week, Report Finds February 10, 2026—The Arab Group, a regional coalition of 22 member states, called on the international community to condemn the Israeli government’s plans to annex the occupied West Bank—a key part of the territory meant for a Palestinian state. Led by Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s representative to the United Nations, the group of ambassadors from Arabs states said it is building diplomatic support to prompt the UN Security Council—the principal body for resolving international disputes—to act. “We want the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and show resolve and determination,” Mansour said. “We stand for defending international law. We stand for justice. We stand for the rights of the P...

Lawsuit Challenges Trump’s Closure of Unit Meant to Resolve Police-Protestor Disputes

17Jan

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Democracy, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Types of News: Brief, United States

Lawsuit Challenges Trump’s Closure of Unit Meant to Resolve Police-Protestor Disputes

Before Its Closure in October, CRS Mediated Racial and Ethnic Tensions One of the many cases in U.S. courts today over Trump’s policies is one about the Justice Department’s elimination of a program meant to peacefully resolve racial and ethnic tensions. Editor's Note: The following story is noteworthy due to the ongoing tensions in the United States over immigration, racial profiling, and the federal government's use of force in American cities. Democracy and civil society are being tested. The following story is one footnote in the series of unfolding events. January 17, 2026—One of the many cases in U.S. courts today over Trump’s policies is one about the Justice Department’s elimination of a program meant to peacefully resolve racial and ethnic tensions. The Community Relat...

16Jan

By No Comments

Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Types of News: Videos

Trump Makes International Law Moot

January 16, 2026—In one phrase and many acts, President Donald Trump made international law obsolete. In an exclusive interview with the New York Times, U.S. President Donald Trump said out loud what many of his actions have shown: International law is no longer relevant. NYT: “Do you see any checks on your power on the world stage? Is there anything that could stop if you wanted to?” Trump: “Yeah, there’s one thing: my own morality, my own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me. And that’s very good. I don’t need international law. I’m not looking to hurt people.” NYT: “Do you feel your administration needs to abide by international law on the global stage?” Trump: “Yeah, I do. I do, but it depends what your definition of international law is.” The interview continu...

U.S. Courts Conflict over Free Speech, Immigration, Habeas Corpus

16Jan

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Domestic Politics, Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Types of News: Analysis, United States

U.S. Courts Conflict over Free Speech, Immigration, Habeas Corpus

Mahmoud Khalil's Legal Battles Demonstrate the Divides January 16, 2026—U.S. courts are struggling to find clarity amid immigration actions that push the limits of constitutional rights. One of the cases that depicts the chaotic scene of mixed signals is the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. resident detained by ICE in March 2025 due to his speech on Israel-Palestine. As a graduate student at Columbia University, Khalil was a leading voice in the movement to assert that Palestinians have rights at a time of genocide, occupation, and apartheid. He was one of several legal residents and students detained after speaking up for Palestinian rights. Photo by Reena Rose Sibayan New Jersey Monitor. https://newjerseymonitor.com/2026/01/15/mahmoud-khalil-arrested-court-ruling/ Backgro...

ICJ: Israel Must Allow Humanitarian Aid to Gaza Through UN Agencies

22Oct

By Patti MohrNo Comments

Legal Battles, International Law, Justice, Middle East, Organizations, IMF, WTO, G7, UN Security Council, Types of News: Brief

ICJ: Israel Must Allow Humanitarian Aid to Gaza Through UN Agencies

Judgment Strikes Blow to Israeli Laws Against UNRWA October 22, 2025—The International Court of Justice, the highest judicial body of the United Nations, ruled today that Israel is obligated as the occupying power to allow humanitarian aid to the people in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, the court ordered Israel 1.) to respect the prohibition on the forcible transfer of a population and 2.) allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit detainees. Today’s decision comes at the request of the UN General Assembly, specifically after Israel’s legislature voted to block UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, from work. The ICJ is considering three separate cases relating to Israel-Palestine. Today’s 71-page Advisory Opinio...