The announcement was made Thursday evening, and confirmed to the ICJ. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the decision and called on other countries to follow suit, saying, “other states that have taken the wrong path should now follow Nicaragua’s example.”
The proceedings have drawn sharp criticism from Israeli officials, who reject the genocide claims outright. The ICJ’s decision to proceed with the case has been a source of diplomatic tension.
In September 2023, Chile formally requested to join the proceedings and urged the ICJ to implement additional measures to protect the rights of the Palestinian people and ensure Israeli compliance with the Genocide Convention.
The report also noted that South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola attended an inauguration ceremony in Iran, where his Iranian counterpart thanked him publicly for his contribution to the case against Israel.
The ICJ proceedings are ongoing, and additional states may still seek to join or submit legal opinions in the coming months.
