Press release
Statement by Tánaiste on ICJ orders in South Africa v. Israel case
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
Today, the International Court of Justice issued its order on the request for provisional measures in the South Africa v. Israel case.
I strongly welcome the Court’s orders which are final and binding. These are measures that Ireland has been consistently calling for from the start of this conflict. Ireland has a deep and longstanding commitment to international law and is a strong defender of the international rules-based system. The International Court of Justice is one of the cornerstones of this system. We expect Israel to implement all provisional measures that have been ordered by the Court, in good faith and as a matter of urgency.
While the Court has not called for a ceasefire, the Court has ordered Israel and the IDF not to commit any acts of genocide, and importantly has ordered Israel to take immediate and effective measures to ensure urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance are provided in Gaza. These orders are binding and the Court has ordered Israel to report in one month to demonstrate compliance with its orders. It is also imperative that Israel prevents and punishes incitement to genocide.
As I have repeatedly made clear, bringing about an end to this conflict and to the death and destruction in Gaza is a priority that must be pursued on all fronts – political, diplomatic, humanitarian and legal. That is my overwhelming priority. I reiterate the position of the Government that an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access is needed in Gaza.
Today’s orders relate to a specific case under the Genocide Convention. Irrespective of whether any actions are eventually judged to meet the threshold of genocide, we must ensure that all parties to this conflict are held to account for their actions. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is continuing to investigate all serious allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in and from Gaza, whether committed by Israel or by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other non-state armed groups. All States must redouble their efforts to support the investigation by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court into the situation in Palestine.
As agreed by the Dáil earlier this week, the Government will strongly consider intervention in the case, following detailed analysis of the Court’s decision today. I have therefore asked my officials to prepare legal advice for my consideration on an urgent basis.