Ireland to join South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel

WORLD, Dec. 12 (YPA) – Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin Wednesday announced that his country would intervene in South Africa’s International Court of Justice case against Israel over the genocide in the Gaza Strip.

“The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin today secured government approval for Ireland to intervene in South Africa’s International Court of Justice case against Israel under the Genocide Convention,” the Irish Foreign Ministry said in a press statement.

Following the Cabinet meeting, the Tánaiste said: “There has been a collective punishment of the Palestinian people through the intent and impact of military actions of Israel in Gaza, leaving 44,000 dead and millions of civilians displaced.”

“By legally intervening in South Africa’s case, Ireland will be asking the ICJ to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes the commission of genocide by a State.”

“We are concerned that a very narrow interpretation of what constitutes genocide leads to a culture of impunity in which the protection of civilians is minimized,” he added.

He stressed that his country’s “view of the Convention is broader and prioritizes the protection of civilian life – as a committed supporter of the Convention, the government will promote that interpretation in its intervention in this case.”

“Intervening in both cases demonstrates the consistency of Ireland’s approach to the interpretation and application of the Genocide Convention,” he concluded.

On December 29, 2023, South Africa formally launched legal proceedings against Israel by submitting an application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in response to the ongoing, relentless Israeli genocide campaign against the Gaza Strip.

@E.Y.M