Colombia seeks to join Gaza genocide case against Israel at World Court
On Friday, the International Court of Justice announced that Colombia has requested to intervene in South Africa's case against Israel for genocide in the Gaza Strip. In its application, Colombia urged the court to safeguard the safety and survival of the Palestinian people.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 09:19 | 05 April 2024
- Modified Date: 09:19 | 05 April 2024
Colombia has asked the International Court of Justice to allow the country to intervene in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip, the court said Friday.
In its application, Colombia called on the court to ensure "the safety and, indeed, the very existence of the Palestinian people".
The ICJ, the highest U.N. court, can allow states to intervene and give their views. Several states have said they would also seek to intervene in the case but so far only Colombia and Nicaragua have filed a public request.
Last week ICJ judges ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies arrive without delay to Palestinians in Gaza.
In January the ICJ, also known as the World Court, ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the genocide convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel denies targeting Palestinian civilians, saying its sole interest is to annihilate the militant group Hamas. Lawyers for Israel have dismissed South Africa's case as an abuse of the genocide convention.