Ireland to Join South Africa’s Genocide Case Against “Israel” at ICJ

By Staff, Agencies

The Irish government has announced its intention to intervene in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice [ICJ] before the end of the year.

Ireland’s Foreign Minister Micheál Martin made the announcement on Thursday, just one day after the Irish parliament passed a non-binding motion asserting that “genocide is being perpetrated before our eyes by ‘Israel’ in Gaza.”

South Africa filed its genocide case against “Israel” in December 2023, citing the apartheid entity's brutal actions in the besieged Gaza Strip. According to the application, the entity’s actions are described as “genocidal in character,” stating they aim to destroy a significant part of the Palestinian national, racial, and ethnic group.

On May 10, South Africa requested the ICJ to order an end to the war in Gaza, specifically in the densely populated southern city of Rafah. This appeal came after the “Israeli” entity’s ground incursions in Rafah, in defiance of international warnings, which led to the forced displacement of over 800,000 people.

On May 24, the ICJ issued an order for the entity to halt its actions in Rafah, to establish humanitarian corridors, and to permit an investigation into potential genocide.

“The government’s decision to join the South African case was grounded in a thorough legal review. Ireland is a strong advocate of the court’s mission and is firmly committed to upholding international law and accountability,” Martin told Irish lawmakers on Thursday.

Previously, Ireland, one of “Israel’s” most vocal critics, had stated it would submit a filing once South Africa provided supporting documentation, which it did earlier this week.

On Monday, South Africa revealed that it had submitted a “memorial” to the ICJ, offering “evidence” of genocide in Gaza. According to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office, the document – over 750 pages with an additional 4,000 pages of exhibits and annexes – cannot be made public.

Earlier this year, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Libya also petitioned the ICJ to intervene in support of South Africa’s case against the apartheid entity.

The “Israeli” entity launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following the significant Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group, which responded to intensified “Israeli” aggression against the Palestinian population.

To date, the occupying entity’s operations in Gaza have resulted in the martyrdom of at least 43,391 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 102,347 others.