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ICJ's New Chief Judge Has a History of Bias Against Israel
(Wall Street Journal) Orde F. Kittrie - The International Court of Justice began hearings Monday on meritless claims that international law requires immediate and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, regardless of risk to Israel's security. Presiding was the ICJ's newly promoted chief judge, Nawaf Salam. Salam, who has demonstrated personal bias against Israel, served as Lebanon's UN ambassador from 2007 to 2017, repeatedly denouncing and voting against Israel's military conduct and presence in the disputed territories. U.S. officials have rightly criticized the ICJ proceeding as "one-sided" and warned it will undermine prospects for "a negotiated two-state solution." Future Palestinian or other Arab leaders would find it hard to make concessions that the ICJ has ruled Israel doesn't deserve. The U.S. should make clear that regardless of any politically driven ICJ ruling, it will continue supporting Israel's security and ensure that direct bilateral negotiations remain the only route for addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The writer, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, is a law professor at Arizona State University.