"Empty Words": Kenneth Roth on Biden's Criticism of Israel While U.S. Keeps Weapons Flowing

Lawyers representing Germany at the International Court of Justice delivered their concluding remarks at The Hague today in a case brought by Nicaragua, which has accused Germany of facilitating the commission of genocide in Gaza by providing military and financial aid to Israel. Germany is Israel's second-largest arms supplier, and Nicaragua has asked the United Nations' top court for emergency measures to halt its material support to Israel. While the United States is the leading arms supplier to Israel, it has a much more limited acceptance" of the ICJ's jurisdiction, according to our guest Kenneth Roth. A visiting professor at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and formerly the longtime executive director of Human Rights Watch, Roth details Nicaragua's case against Germany, as well as the U.S. government's stance toward Israel. Despite President Biden's public condemnation of the recent World Central Kitchen aid convoy attack and the huge leverage" of ongoing U.S. military assistance, the administration's warnings to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are empty words," says Roth. Joe Biden never backs them up with consequences," and his reelection campaign is taking progressive voters for granted as domestic dissent grows in the lead-up to the 2024 election, Roth adds.