How to watch hearing on Gaza genocide case against Biden
Oakland, California - A US federal court is set to hear a historic case accusing President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin of complicity in Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza.
Just two weeks after South Africa presented its landmark genocide case before the International Court of Justice, Biden and top administration officials are due for their own court reckoning over their actions in Gaza.
The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a federal lawsuit in November 2023 on behalf of Defense for Children International–Palestine, Al-Haq, and eight Palestinians in the US and Palestine. Their complaint argues that Biden, Blinken, and Austin have failed to live up to their legal responsibilities under the 1948 Genocide Convention and the Genocide Convention Implementation Act, passed by Congress in 1988.
The United Nations' Genocide Convention classifies complicity in genocide, or the intentional destruction of a people in whole or in part, as a crime under international law and requires states to take measures to prevent such atrocities.
The suit, Defense for Children International–Palestine v. Biden, points to the Biden administration's continued diplomatic and military support for Israel, including the authorization of US weapons transfers, as grave violations of those obligations.
Here's what you need to know about the case ahead of the hearing on Friday, January 26.
What to expect in the January 26 hearing
In a big win for the plaintiffs, the court granted a motion for the January 26 hearing to take place in person in Oakland before the US District Court for the Northern District of California.
Plaintiffs will present live testimony focused on both Israel and the US' actions in Gaza. Their comments will likely focus on the billions of dollars of military aid and munitions the Biden administration has sent to Israel, as well as the nightmare conditions Palestinians are experiencing under Israeli siege and bombardment.
Dr. Barry Trachtenberg, Rubin Presidential Chair of Jewish History at Wake Forest University, is also set to testify. In an expert brief filed in November, he and other renowned Holocaust and genocide scholars declared that Israel's actions show the indicia of the crime of genocide in Gaza.
Biden has remained largely silent on the case as he embarks on his 2024 reelection campaign. He and his administration have been accused of trying to evade responsibility in their response to the lawsuit in December, which the CCR said focused on jurisdictional issues rather than substance.
With the death toll in Gaza surpassing 25,000 people, mass demonstrations of public support for the plaintiffs' case are expected this week, both in the streets and across social media.
How to watch the January 26 hearing
A pre-court briefing will be held from 10:30 AM-12:00 PM ET and live-streamed to the CCR's YouTube page.
The hearing, scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM ET, will also be live-streamed, with instructions available on Senior District Judge Jeffrey S. White's page of the court website.
As January 26 marks the We Charge Genocide International Day of Action for Permanent Ceasefire, advocates are urging people across the country to amplify calls for peace by organizing local rallies, contacting elected officials, and hosting watch parties for the court hearing.
Organizers have provided a digital toolkit for anyone planning a solidarity action on January 26.
Cover photo: REUTERS