Biden accused of evading responsibility in response to Gaza genocide lawsuit
New York, New York - The US government has responded to the lawsuit brought against President Joe Biden by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) that accused the president and his administration of being complicit in Israel's unrelenting assault on Gaza.
The government filed a response to the lawsuit late on Friday, shortly after it blocked a resolution put forth by the United Nations Security Council that would have called for a ceasefire in the two-month-long assault.
"President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and Secretary Austin are attempting to evade legal responsibility for their failure to prevent – and complicity in – Israel's unfolding genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip," the CCR said in a press release.
"Their lawyers focus on jurisdictional issues rather than the substance of the lawsuit, which was brought by Palestinian human rights groups, Palestinians who live in Gaza, and Palestinians in the US with family members who live in Gaza."
The CCR also noted the cruelly ironic timing of the response, which fell on the 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention, the first human rights treaty adopted by the UN.
President Biden and administration accused of complicity in Gaza assault
The complaint, filed last month, detailed Israel's "genocidal intent" in Gaza as the death toll surpasses 21,000, including over 6,500 children.
"Israel could not be conducting this genocidal campaign without the unconditional diplomatic and military support of the United States," the CCR added.
The CCR has vowed that the case proceedings will continue with "urgency," adding, "If powerful countries are not held to their human rights obligations to prevent genocide, the law is meaningless."
Cover photo: Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP