Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly reaffirmed Canada’s support for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after the court handed down an interim ruling on South Africa’s accusation of genocide against Israel.
The ruling stems from South Africa’s accusation that Israel has breached the 1948 U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The ICJ ruling represents a provisional decision as the case regarding allegations of genocide continues to be deliberated.
On South Africa’s charge, Ms. Joly emphasized that Canada is waiting for a final decision from the ICJ, in The Hague, Netherlands.
“Our support for the ICJ does not mean that we accept the premise of the case brought by South Africa,” said Ms. Joly.
“It is for the ICJ to make a final decision on the case, which it has not done today. We continue to follow the case very closely.”
In its decision, the majority of ICJ judges decreed that Israel must take concrete measures to protect Palestinian civilians, counter and penalize any calls for genocide against them, facilitate humanitarian aid, and safeguard evidence pertinent to the genocide allegations.
The court also mandated Israel to submit a report within a month detailing its compliance with the directives. However, the ICJ’s interim ruling did not order a stop to Israel’s military operations, as South Africa had requested.
The ICJ acknowledged in its preliminary decision that South Africa had presented a credible argument to justify requesting a genocide determination against Israel.
A segment of Liberal MPs firmly backs Israel’s right to defend itself, which currently involves actions against Hamas and pre-emptive measures against potential future threats. But others are advocating for a ceasefire, emphasizing the need to address the humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinians.
Ambassador Iddo Moed emphasized the point in a statement on Jan. 18, stating, “At a time when the world’s leading liberal democracies and many of Canada’s closest allies and G7 members ... are unequivocally rejecting South Africa’s cynical application, Israel urges Canada to leave no room for misinterpretation on a matter that is crystal clear.”
In the statement, the J7 acknowledged the ICJ’s denial of South Africa’s demand for an Israeli ceasefire, saying it was indirect recognition of Israel’s right to self-defence in Gaza.
The J7 also noted the court’s demand for the immediate release of all hostages. However, the J7 expressed deep disappointment with the ICJ’s decision to order provisional measures that Israel must comply with, saying it lends credibility to what the group considers baseless claims by South Africa.
