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According to the Irish government, Ireland plans to file arguments at the International Court of Justice in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, and the move comes as the country strongly condemns Israel’s actions against civilians in the Gaza Strip. .
South Africa has sued Israel at the United Nations’ highest court, the ICJ, accusing it of committing genocide, an allegation Israel denies. Ireland did not outline any further discussions it plans to take, but its parliamentarians have repeatedly called for prioritizing the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The United Nations allows countries to “intervene” in legal proceedings if they are parties to the UN’s 1948 Genocide Convention. Michael Martin, the Republic of Ireland’s foreign minister and deputy leader, said authorities were working on a “declaration of intervention” in the case that, if approved by the Irish government, would be brought to the courts in The Hague.
“It is up to the courts to decide whether genocide has taken place,” Martin said Wednesday. “But I want to be clear on what I have said many times in recent months: What we saw in Israel on October 7, and what we are seeing now in Gaza, “represents a blatant violation of international humanitarian law against the government.” “
He called for a cease-fire for Israel and called for a number of pressing threats, including “deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid to civilians,” “targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure,” and “collective punishment of entire populations.” raised a problem. ”
“The list goes on,” he said. “It has to stop. The international community’s view is clear: Get your act together.”
Last year, Irish lawmakers were among the first in Europe to call for protection for people in the Gaza Strip. This reflects Ireland’s longstanding support for Palestinian civilians, which is partly rooted in a shared history of British colonialism. Ireland’s own experience with the seemingly intractable and traumatic sectarian conflict known as the Troubles, which ended with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, also supports that familiarity.
Mr Martin said the decision to submit a declaration of intervention was taken in consultation with multiple partners, including South Africa. The Irish government has told multiple Irish news outlets that it does not intend to take sides in the conflict.
In January, Germany became the first country to intervene in the case, saying South Africa’s claims that Israel was committing genocide in the war were “totally baseless.” The United States has argued that the case has no merit, and several European countries have also rejected it.
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