Sen. Elizabeth Warren on ICJ case against Israel: 'I believe that they’ll find that it is genocide'

On Monday, a spokesperson from Warren's office said the senator commented on the legal process and did not share her views on the question of genocide. 

 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks alongside Senate Democrats during a press conference addressing a new policy that demands recipients of foreign military aid to follow international humanitarian law at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., February 9, 2024.  (photo credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters)
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks alongside Senate Democrats during a press conference addressing a new policy that demands recipients of foreign military aid to follow international humanitarian law at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., February 9, 2024.
(photo credit: Nathan Howard/Reuters)

During an event on Friday at the Islamic Center of Boston in Wayland, Massachusetts, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she believes the International Court of Justice will have ample evidence to find that Israel has committed genocide. 

Warren was asked during a Q&A for her opinion on the ICJ ruling and if she thinks Israel is committing a genocide. 

Warren's office provided The Post with a transcript of the Q&A:

"So I think that --  that what's happening now is there's going to be a long and involved debate over what constitutes genocide, when you ask a legal question. For me, it is far more important to say what Israel is doing is wrong. And it is wrong. It is wrong to starve children within a civilian population in order to try to bend to your will, it is wrong to drop 2000-pound bombs, in densely populated civilian areas," Warren said. 

"I think I can make a more effective argument by describing the behavior that is happening. And whether I believe it is right or wrong, and look people in the eye and say, do you want to tell me if you think it is right? And should it be the policy of the United States of America to support those actions? So that's how I analyze," she added. 

The audience, not satisfied with Warren's response, pushed her to answer if she thinks the war constitutes as a genocide. 

"If you want to do it as an application of law, I believe that they’ll find that it is genocide. And they have ample evidence to do so," she said. 

Public hearing held by ICJ to allow parties to give their views on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories before eventually issuing a non-binding legal opinion in The Hague, Netherlands, February 21, 2024. (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)
Public hearing held by ICJ to allow parties to give their views on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories before eventually issuing a non-binding legal opinion in The Hague, Netherlands, February 21, 2024. (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)
Warren went on to say she wants people to get past a "labels argument" and look at the behavior on the ground. 

"Get them to look at the children, to get them to look at the moms, and the old people and people who've been displaced [and] the people who are living outside, the people who are drinking dirty water, and talk about what the role of the United States is in connection with supporting the Netanyahu government who has put the people of Gaza in that position," she said. 

Humanitarian conditions in Gaza

On Monday, a spokesperson from Warren's office said the senator commented on the legal process and did not share her views on the question of genocide. 

"Senator Warren believes that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his right-wing war cabinet have created a massive humanitarian disaster in Gaza and have not taken reasonable steps to protect civilians," her spokesperson said. 

Last week, Warren joined four other Democrats in writing a letter to Biden calling on him to provide Gaza with more medicine and medical supplies. 

Earlier in March, Warren and seven other senators urged Biden to suspend military aid to Israel citing Netanyahu's interference in US humanitarian operations in Gaza as violation of US law.