Spain made history as the first European nation to petition a United Nations (UN) court for entry into South Africa’s case, which accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Thursday, 6 June. Spain joins a select group of nations expressing their intention to intervene, including Ireland. Last week, Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, formally recognized a Palestinian state. “We are doing it (requesting to intervene) because of our commitment to international law, in our desire to support the court in its work and strengthen the United Nations, supporting the role of the court as the maximum legal entity in the system,” Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told a press conference in Madrid. “We want to support the court in the implementation of the precautionary measures, in particular the cessation of military operations in Rafah in order to restore peace, the cessation of obstacles to the entry of humanitarian aid and the cessation of the destruction of civilian infrastructure.” South Africa filed its complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in late 2023, claiming Israel violated the genocide convention during its military…
Spain Makes History as First European Nation to Back ICJ Case Against Israel’s Genocide
June 6, 2024
