International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

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A 3D hologram of the globe with circles and grids laid over to indicate communications and technology.

The Sixth United Nations GGE and International Law in Cyberspace

Top expert analysis of the much-anticipated report that provides consensus views among key States on the application of international law to cyberspace.
Officials inspect the damaged Karbala airport in the Iraqi shrine city, one of the areas targeted by US military air strikes. March 13, 2020

A Legacy of Unrecognized Harm: DoD’s 2020 Civilian Casualties Report 

The Pentagon report appears to defy the congressional requirement to report on civilian casualties “that were confirmed, or reasonably suspected, to have resulted in civilian…
Masked fighters with the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), the military wing of the Democracy Front Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), speak to members of the press in front of the ruins of the al-Jalaa tower which hosted the offices of the news agency Associated Press and the Aljazeera English channel, destroyed by Israeli strikes during the recent confrontations between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City on May 23, 2021. They wear head gear and face masks that cover their entire faces except the eyes. A flag is draped over a podium with microphones. The fighters carry large guns.

The IDF Attack on Al Jalaa Tower: Criticisms Are Correct on the Law, But Mistaken in Applying It

A response to Professor Adil Haque's influential analysis.
The ruins of the Al-Jalaa Tower in Gaza City after it levelled by an Israeli air strike during the recent military conflict between Israel and the Palestinian enclave ruled by Hamas, after a ceasefire brokered by Egypt.

The IDF’s Unlawful Attack on Al Jalaa Tower

The IDF's reported view — that civilian apartments don't have to count in the legal analysis when taking such a strike — is flawed beyond repair, writes professor Adil Haque.…
Tear gas fired by the police covers a street at Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong on August 25, 2019 during a demonstration for democratic rights. A traffic cone and bricks lie in the street.

Clearing the Fog of War Surrounding Battlefield Use of Tear Gas

The United States takes the (minority) view that international law does not prohibit the defensive use of tear gas in war - and that this could protect civilians - but the risks…
Members of the Civil defence removing the remnants of a rocket reportedly fired by regime forces on the outskirts of the rebel-held besieged Syrian town of Douma in the eastern Ghouta region. They wear gas masks as they work. February 1, 2018

The Eroding Norms Against Chemical Weapons Use Will Need More Than Another Syria Censure to Survive

A challenge inspection and an expanded mandate for a new investigations team are among options to halt the global backsliding.
Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City as Israeli warplanes target a governmental building, early on May 18, 2021 in Gaza City, Gaza.

Dispatch from Israel on Human Shields: What I Should’ve Said to a Dad on the Playground

Who's responsible for the deaths of those civilians in Gaza who were near areas where Hamas operates?
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on International Women’s Day as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin listens during an announcement at the East Room of the White House March 8, 2021 in Washington, DC.

The Illegality of Targeting Civilians by Way of Belligerent Reprisal: Implications for U.S. Nuclear Doctrine

It is time for the United States to acknowledge that customary international law today prohibits targeting civilians in reprisal for an adversary’s violations of the law of war.
Ukrainian officers of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) and OSCE employees watch as people walk across a destroyed bridge between the Ukraine-controlled territory and territory held by Russia-backed separatists at a checkpoint near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska, in Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine on August 1, 2019.

Ukraine’s Pandemic-Era Obligations to Civilians in Crimea and Donbas Under Humanitarian Law

Russia is not the sole State with such responsibilities. As the displaced sovereign, Ukraine retains certain residual obligations towards its citizens.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a primetime address to the nation from the East Room of the White House March 11, 2021 in Washington, DC. He holds a finger up as a “one” gesture or in making a point. Flags line the walls behind him. He does not wear a face mask, but no one stands around him.

At 100 Days, Grading Biden’s Progress Toward a More Responsible US Arms Trade Policy

As we near the 100-day mark of this administration, and with the president delivering a “State of the Union”-like address this evening, now is a good moment to assess its arms…
Security Council members hold a videoconference in connection with Maintenance of international peace and security.

National Security Last Week at the United Nations (April 2-9)

United States Lifts Sanctions Against ICC Officials On April 2, President Joe Biden reversed one of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which imposed sanctions…
NZDF troops remove the New Zealand flag from a base in Afghanistan.

Opportunity Missed: New Zealand Defense Force’s Order on Civilian Harm in Wartime

On Feb. 11, 2021, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced new rules on responding to civilian harm. Defence Force Order 35 (DFO 35) introduces NZDF-wide procedures for responding…
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