Attorneys at the Department of Justice have sent a letter to Merrick Garland, pressing the US attorney general to “investigate potential violations of U.S. law by Israel’s government, military, and citizenry, and hold the perpetrators to account.”
The letter, exclusively obtained by Zeteo, represents increasing internal discontent over the DOJ’s silence as the Israeli government, supported by US citizens and organizations, allegedly violates US and international laws – in contrast to the department’s willingness to announce charges against Hamas leaders over the Oct. 7 attack. It also comes as the Israeli government responds to US requests to heed US and international laws by escalating its violation of them.
“We honor the Department’s commitment to investigating and prosecuting crimes regardless of the perpetrator’s race or nationality and regardless of political considerations. We know you do too, Attorney General Garland,” the letter’s authors write, citing a speech Garland delivered to the department last month.
“In your speech, you stressed the importance of the ‘fair and impartial application of our laws.’ You also quoted the Principles of Federal Prosecution and reminded us that, as attorneys for the government, we should not be influenced by, among other factors, a person’s background, our feelings concerning the victim, and the effect of a charging decision on our professional and personal circumstances. You told us that ‘we must treat like cases alike,’ … And finally, you insisted that, guided by these norms, ‘we will not allow this nation to become a country where law enforcement is treated as an apparatus of politics.’”
Hellbound and Down 