Nicaragua to intervene in UN case against Israel, drag Western countries for complicity

ANKARA

Nicaragua has asked to intervene in the case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), according to a statement.

The Central American country aims to drag four Western countries into the case for complicity with Israel.

"On 23 January 2024, Nicaragua, … filed in the Registry of the Court an Application for permission to intervene 'as a party' 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 ICJ said this week.

The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of Nicaragua said on X last week that it notified the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada "of its decision to hold them responsible under international law for gross and systematic violations to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, international humanitarian law and customary law, including the law of occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in particular the Gaza Strip."

Nicaragua also urged those four countries "to immediately halt the supply of arms, ammunitions, technology and/or components to Israel as it is plausible they might have been used to facilitate or commit violations of the Genocide Convention, including but not limited to acts of genocide, attempted genocide, complicity in genocide and conspiracy to commit genocide."

By suspending funds to the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, or UNRWA, those countries also disregard their obligations, and "actively facilitate violations of the rules of international law by Israel."

"Nicaragua has underscored that this act contributes to the collective punishment of the Palestinians," the statement added. "Consequently, Nicaragua has given written notice to these governments that it will adopt all measures it considers appropriate in accordance with international law, including recourse to the International Court of Justice, to guarantee respect for these fundamental international texts and customary international law."

Several countries suspended funding to UNRWA after Israel alleged that some of the agency's employees were involved in the cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7.

UNRWA warned Thursday that it will halt its operations within weeks if international funding remains suspended.

Last month, the ICJ issued an interim order demanding that Israel stops obstructing aid deliveries into Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation in the enclave following a lawsuit by South Africa, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide.

Israel has pounded Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas in October, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 27,947 Palestinians have since been killed and 67,459 others injured in the Israeli onslaught, according to local health authorities.