Chile intervenes in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel over war on Gaza

ANKARA (AA) – Chile has officially filed a declaration of intervention in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case concerning the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Chile’s intervention, submitted under Article 63 of the ICJ Statute, asserts its interest in the construction of the Genocide Convention as it applies to the case.

According to Article 63, any state party to a convention that is under judicial consideration has the right to intervene, making the ICJ’s interpretation of that convention binding on them as well.

In its declaration, Chile emphasized the importance of the interpretation of key articles within the Genocide Convention.

Chile’s move underscores its concern over the legal interpretation of these provisions, given the gravity of the allegations being raised in Israel’s war on Gaza.

Both South Africa and Israel have been invited by the ICJ to submit written observations in response to Chile’s declaration.

The court’s judgment on the matter will be binding not only on the original parties involved but also on Chile, in accordance with the rules governing such interventions.

On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel, stating violations of the Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Several countries have since joined the case, including Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, the State of Palestine, Spain, and Türkiye.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since last October despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire. It has killed more than 41,100 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities.

According to a study by The Lancet journal in July, the actual number of casualties in Gaza may be far higher than these estimates, including those gone missing under the rubble and those dying of starvation and infectious diseases. The study estimated the actual number of the dead to be higher than 186,000- more than 80% of the total population of the devastated region.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.