The Republic of Maldives has officially filed a Declaration of Intervention at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of South Africa v. Israel, as announced on October 1, 2024. Attorney General Ahmed Usham, representing the Maldives, submitted the declaration according to Article 63(2) of the ICJ Statute, addressing allegations related to genocide in the Gaza Strip.
This case was brought to the ICJ by South Africa on December 29, 2023, claiming that Israel's actions against the Palestinian population in Gaza violate the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Maldives’ intervention focuses on the interpretation of critical provisions concerning incitement to commit genocide and the duty to punish such incitement, specifically referencing Articles I, III, IV, and VI of the Genocide Convention.
In addition to the legal aspects of its intervention, the Maldives has consistently condemned Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as serious violations of international law, amounting to genocide and apartheid. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu reiterated this position during his speech at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, stating, “The ongoing massacre – the genocide – by Israel in Gaza is a travesty of justice and the international system. Israel must be held accountable for these acts of terrorism, for these violations of international law and UN resolutions.”
The Maldivian government is calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, urging Israel to cease its alleged genocidal war against the Palestinian people. Furthermore, the Maldives reaffirmed its steadfast support for the Palestinian people's rights, advocating for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
This case was brought to the ICJ by South Africa on December 29, 2023, claiming that Israel's actions against the Palestinian population in Gaza violate the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The Maldives’ intervention focuses on the interpretation of critical provisions concerning incitement to commit genocide and the duty to punish such incitement, specifically referencing Articles I, III, IV, and VI of the Genocide Convention.
In addition to the legal aspects of its intervention, the Maldives has consistently condemned Israel’s actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as serious violations of international law, amounting to genocide and apartheid. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu reiterated this position during his speech at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, stating, “The ongoing massacre – the genocide – by Israel in Gaza is a travesty of justice and the international system. Israel must be held accountable for these acts of terrorism, for these violations of international law and UN resolutions.”
The Maldivian government is calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, urging Israel to cease its alleged genocidal war against the Palestinian people. Furthermore, the Maldives reaffirmed its steadfast support for the Palestinian people's rights, advocating for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
