TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has defended the Government’s stance in relation to a case taken by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and said Ireland would consider joining the case once it had passed the preliminary stages. 

South Africa has taken the case over Israel’s actions in Gaza, where 25,000 people have been killed since October last year, according to local health authorities.

Speaking to RTÉ’s This Week programme, Martin said:

“South Africa have taken a preliminary case to the court (ICJ), Israel have responded, no-one has actually joined that case yet, nor can anyone join it right now – not even Palestine.

“Because the court is going to make a provisional judgment on that to respond to what South Africa has sought, which is exactly what we have sought, the same thing: an immediate cessation of hostilities and war, unimpeded access of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

He said that Ireland would act the same way it did in relation to an ICJ case where Ukraine accused Russia of violating the Genocide Convention.

Martin said they examined the legal case for around 12 weeks before joining Ukraine’s case.

“And we will give this very serious consideration, of course,” he said of South Africa’s case.

“Because these are legal conventions, it will take years to resolve, meanwhile, we have to keep our focus on getting a ceasefire.”

Under pressure

The Government is under pressure to support the case, with opposition party the Social Democrats set to introduce a Dáil motion next week calling on the Irish Government to support South Africa’s case.

Party leader Holly Cairns said the country “cannot stand idly by while the daily slaughter of innocent civilians in Gaza continues”.

“Since Israel began its military operations three months ago, nearly 100,000 Palestinians have been killed, reported missing or wounded in Gaza. Almost 25,000 people have now been confirmed dead, two thirds of whom are women and children,” she said.

She said that Ireland under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention parties to the convention have an obligation to take measures to prevent genocide.

“The Tánaiste has indicated that the Government will await a ruling by the ICJ in relation to provisional measures before considering if Ireland should intervene in the case,” Cairns said.

However, the people of Gaza do not have the luxury of time. While the Irish State awaits a decision by the court, which will be followed by a period of analysis and consultation by the Government, an average of 250 Palestinians are being killed every day.

Martin has also come under pressure from his own MEPs, with Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher both telling TheJournal earlier this month that Ireland should have joined the case.

In the interview today, Martin also said that Israel “has to be held to account” as Palestinian deaths in the Gaza enclave reached 25,000, according to local health authorities.

“Israel has to be held to account in terms of what it’s doing,” he said.

“I condemn the continued bombardment of Gaza. It is shocking. It’s horrifying. It’s not justified in any shape or form.”

With reporting from Press Association