Nicaragua applies to intervene in SA's genocide case against Israel
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that Nicaragua had applied to intervene in the case, saying it believed Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians.
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CAPE TOWN - Nicaragua has become the first country to take legal steps to back South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.
As the nation was preparing to hear President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday night, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that Nicaragua had applied to intervene in the case, saying it believed Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians.
In his address, President Ramaphosa said government stood by its decision to support the Palestinian cause even if the whole country was not behind the move.
President Ramaphosa said that government had been guided by the fundamental principles of human rights and freedom in taking up the Palestinian cause.
He said this was necessary to prevent further death and destruction in the occupied territory of Gaza.
"We know that there are some in our nation, who do not support this cause we’ve adopted."
As African National Congress (ANC) MPs heckled the Democratic Alliance (DA), Ramaphosa said government welcomed the interim measures imposed on Israel by the world’s top court to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians.
"We condemn the killing of civilians on all sides, and call on all parties in the conflict to commit to a peace a process that will deliver a two-state solution."
In its application to the ICJ, Nicaragua said it had interests of a legal nature under the Genocide Convention to liberate mankind from what it termed "such an odious scourge".