Colombia petitions to join S. Africa's ICJ lawsuit against 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Apr 2024 06:53

Colombia says the Genocide Convention was "a cardinal instrument of international law."

Judges enter the United Nations' highest court the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during hearings in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Colombia has officially petitioned to join South Africa's lawsuit against "Israel" over genocide in the Gaza Strip, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) confirmed on Friday.

On Thursday, Colombian Ambassador to Uruguay Juan Jose Quintana Aranguren said that Bogota was calling on all states-signatories to the Genocide Convention to align themselves with South Africa's suit.

"Today, Colombia, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel)," the statement read.

In its declaration, Colombia said that the Genocide Convention was "a cardinal instrument of international law" and that its case against "Israel" raised "vital issues" concerning the interpretation and application of certain provisions of the convention, the ICJ said.

South Africa filed its lawsuit against "Israel" on December 29, 2023. On January 26, the ICJ ruled provisional measures ordering "Israel" to take urgent steps to prevent acts of genocide and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the enclave.

In early March, the African nation went back to the ICJ to call for additional provisional measures against "Israel" that would address widespread starvation among Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.