Palestinian American plaintiffs are seeking a federal judge in California to compel the White House to withdraw U.S. support for Israel until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. They have accused President Biden and other administration officials of aiding in the genocide of the Palestinian people. The plaintiffs, in a unique lawsuit, expressed their grief and outrage during a two-hour testimony before Judge Jeffrey White in U.S. District Court in Oakland. They shared stories of their loved ones who have been killed in Gaza, with one immigrant from Fairfield, Calif. revealing that seven members of his family were killed in airstrikes in Gaza. Another plaintiff from San Ramon, Calif. said his family had lost over 100 members due to a single Israeli attack. The testimony came as the United Nations’ highest judicial body ordered Israel to prevent genocidal acts by its forces. The federal case in Northern California is not expected to succeed, but it has energized pro-Palestinian activists and local governments in the Bay Area, Atlanta, and other regions to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. The judge called the testimony “gut wrenching” and the case “probably the most difficult” he had ever dealt with. A ruling in the federal lawsuit is expected as soon as next week. In its defense, Israeli officials have denied accusations of genocide and argued that their military has tried to preserve civilian life. They also stated that inflammatory comments about Palestinians were taken out of context or made by individuals without decision-making power. Since the Oct. 7 attack, Israel has all but razed parts of Gaza in an attempt to crush Hamas, resulting in thousands of deaths, including children.
Source: www.nytimes.com