Prior Events and Initiatives

The Palestinian American Bar Association proudly announces that we are a signatory to a very important amicus brief. 

In Defense for Children International - Palestine, et al. v. Biden, et al., Palestinian human rights organizations, together with Palestinians in Gaza and the U.S. (“Plaintiffs”), filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court against President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Austin for the U.S. officials’ failure to prevent and complicity in the Israeli government’s unfolding genocide against them, their families, and the 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza. In its order granting defendants' motion to dismiss, the federal district court held that "it is plausible that Israel’s conduct amounts to genocide," but the court declined to exercise jurisdiction due to the political question doctrine.  

On behalf of Plaintiffs, the Center for Constitutional Rights and Van Der Hout LLP filed an appeal of the dismissal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  PABA has joined dozens of other organizations in signing the amicus brief in support of the Plaintiffs' appeal to reinstate the case and have it decided on the merits.  As we stated in the amicus brief, PABA is an association of attorneys, judges, law students, and other legal professionals whose mission includes supporting the protection of human rights and upholding international law. We firmly believe that the obligation to prevent genocide and refrain from complicity is ingrained within the legal profession.