McDonald urges Varadkar to ensure Ireland joins legal action against Israel

The leader of Ireland’s main opposition party has said the country should join South Africa’s legal proceedings against Israel over its military offensive in Gaza.

South Africa launched a case at the United Nations’ top court on Friday, accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and asking the court to order Israel to halt its attacks.

South Africa’s submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleges that “acts and omissions by Israel… are genocidal in character” as they are committed with the intent “to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group”.

It also asks the Hague-based court to issue an interim order for Israel to immediately suspend its military operations in Gaza. A hearing into that request is likely in the coming days or weeks.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said Israel “must be held to account” and that Irish premier Leo Varadkar “needs to act now”.

“In initiating proceedings at the International Court of Justice, South Africa has shown the leadership and solidarity that is needed from right across the international community to end Israel’s bombardment of Gaza,” Ms McDonald said.

“What is happening in Gaza is an absolute catastrophe. In full view of the world, over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed, another 10,000 are missing, while two million people have been displaced.

“This is a devastation of unimaginable proportions that simply cannot be allowed to continue.

“There must be a ceasefire, there must be sanctions, and Israel must be held to account.

“The Taoiseach needs to act now on behalf of the Irish people.

“I am calling on Leo Varadkar to commit to joining South Africa in their ICJ proceedings against Israel concerning violations under the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.

“Only by such actions, and by world leaders exhausting every possible avenue available, will Israel end its bombardment of Gaza, their massacre of civilians and children, and their mass displacement of an entire population.

“World leaders must speak with one voice, and ensure that Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government are held responsible for their reprehensible actions at the ICJ.”

The South African case is the first such challenge made at the court over the current war and Israel swiftly rejected the filing “with disgust”.

South Africa can bring the case under the Genocide Convention because both it and Israel are signatories to the convention.