The Irish government has been urged to join South Africa in its genocide case against Israel.
On Friday January 26, at The Hague, judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a preliminary ruling as part of the case that there was a plausible case under the 1948 Genocide Convention, ordering Israel to take all measures to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza.
The presiding judge was Joan Donoghue, a native of Yonkers, New York
A full verdict could take several years, however a South African government statement claimed the decision was “a significant milestone."
Responding to the judgement, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called for an immediate ceasefire.
“The Irish government, having heard the provisional ruling of the International Court of Justice must now clearly and unequivocally indicate their intention to join with South Africa in their case to hold Israel accountable for their crimes against the Palestinian people.
“Sinn Féin has lodged a motion in the Dáil committing Ireland to join with South Africa in their case at the International Court of Justice. The motion will be debated next week and we fully expect that the government will support this motion.”
Last week, a motion calling on the Irish government to support South Africa’s case was defeated in the Dáil.
The government’s counter-motion passed by 71 votes to 62. In that motion the government said it would “strongly consider an intervention” in the case “as a matter of urgency after the Court has made its order on preliminary measures and filing by South Africa of its memorial in the case, which is the only appropriate process to do so and following the necessary legal and policy analysis."
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, whose party put forward the original motion, said Ireland is “sitting on the fence, watching this happen and not taking action."
And she added: “The people out there who want action from the government on this issue can see straight through its efforts to avoid taking action."
Speaking before the ICJ ruling, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said South Africa’s case was “valid."
