Fetishistic Disavowal
I usually argue that international law works through a certain fetishistic disavowal - people know that the international system is overwhelmingly biased against Israel, but everyone is expected to act as if it is not. So even when the President of Lebanon dances with Hezbollah, even when voters in the UN won't condemn the murder of Jewish children purely because those children are Jewish, even when an anti-racism conference turns into a Nazi hate-fest, and even when a country that openly sponsors terrorism and is in a state of war with Israel sits on the Security Council - still, Israel is expected to behave as if international law is this unbiased and neutral.
However, as demonization of Israel becomes more routine and anti-Semitism becomes more acceptable, even this veneer of legitimacy is being tested:
The International Court of Justice rejected a request by Israel to remove one of the 15 judges who will hear the controversial security fence case when it comes before it on February 23.
The decision to keep Judge Nabil Elaraby on the bench surprised Israel...
Israel contended that Elaraby... in an August 2001 interview with an Egyptian newspaper, had been "actively engaged in opposition to Israel" and in particular in matters relating to the fence.
He’s on record in opposing the fence politically, but he's going to be impartial. Just like Syria on the Security Council. Seriously, they're not even trying to hide it any more.
However, as demonization of Israel becomes more routine and anti-Semitism becomes more acceptable, even this veneer of legitimacy is being tested:
The International Court of Justice rejected a request by Israel to remove one of the 15 judges who will hear the controversial security fence case when it comes before it on February 23.
The decision to keep Judge Nabil Elaraby on the bench surprised Israel...
Israel contended that Elaraby... in an August 2001 interview with an Egyptian newspaper, had been "actively engaged in opposition to Israel" and in particular in matters relating to the fence.
He’s on record in opposing the fence politically, but he's going to be impartial. Just like Syria on the Security Council. Seriously, they're not even trying to hide it any more.
