International Law
Just Security offers expert analysis of international law and its role in addressing global challenges. Our coverage includes litigation in international and regional tribunals, the process of international law-making, analysis of compliance and accountability for international law violations–including international criminal justice, and challenges to the international legal order.
3,512 Articles
Understanding the Fog of Law: Enduring Ambiguities in International Security Law
The international law governing national security and war is plagued by several critical ambiguities. When can states lawfully resort to armed force? What are the constraints on…
Analysis of Israel’s Supreme Court Decision Allowing Lethal Force in Gaza
On May 25th 2018, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected, in a unanimous decision of a three judge panel, a petition by a group of NGOs which challenged the legality of the Rules of…
No, Making the Iran Deal a Treaty Wouldn’t Have Stopped Trump from Withdrawing from It
Since President Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, legal scholars, elected officials, and political commentators have suggested that the non-binding…
With New U.S. Arms Sale Pending–What Happened to Saudi Assurances on Civilian Casualties in Yemen?
To get an arms sale past Congress last year, Saudi Arabia promised $750 million to prevent civilian casualties in Yemen. The civilian death toll has since risen.
United Kingdom Att’y General’s Speech on International Law and Cyber: Key Highlights
On Wednesday, the United Kingdom’s Attorney General, Jeremy Wright, QC MP, gave a speech at Chatham House on the role of international law in cyberspace. It is the first official…
View from Socotra Island: Yemen War and Threats to the UN Charter
A small Yemeni island was recently at the center of a little-noticed standoff between three states—Yemen, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. The dispute reveals…
A Possible US-EU Agreement on Law Enforcement Access to Data?
[Cross-posted on Lawfare] Attorney General Jeff Sessions is scheduled to fly to Sofia, Bulgaria for a May 22 meeting with senior European law enforcement officials. In the wake…
Enhanced Evasion Techniques
On Thursday, May 17, after only a few hours of debate, the Senate approved Gina Haspel’s nomination as CIA director by a margin of 54 to 45 votes. The vote broke largely, but…
Gaza and Israel: What Do Calls for “Restraint” Really Mean?
International reactions to the violence that erupted this week on Gaza’s border with Israel have taken shape around a somewhat familiar refrain – a call for restraint. …
Collectivizing Threat: An Analysis of Israel’s Legal Claims for Resort to Force on the Gaza Border
The aim of this article is not to vindicate one narrative over the other or to pass judgment on specific factual claims, which must be thoroughly investigated. It also doesn't…
The Latin American View of Jus ad Bellum
For the past few weeks, Rebecca Ingber, Elvina Pothelet, Priya Pillai and I have been engaged in the task of systematizing State reactions to the April 14 air strikes carried out…
Does the U.S. “Deliberately Misinterpret” the Laws of War?–A Response to Gabor Rona
I recently wrote about problems in the Pentagon’s procedures for post-strike civilian casualty assessments in places like Iraq and Syria. Gabor Rona’s letter-to-the-editor,…