ICJ judge with doctorate in human rights, Julia Sebutinde, votes against measures sought by SA in Israel case
The Ugandan-born Sebutinde and Israel Judge Aharan Barak were the only two judges who voted against SA.
Image: ICJ
International Court of Justice judge Julia Sebutinde, who has a doctorate for service in international justice and human rights, voted against South Africa's application against Israel's actions in Gaza.
South Africa applied to the world court to order a suspension of Israel's military operations in Gaza. The South African legal team argued that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians after the attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7.
Of the 17 judges, Sebutinde was the only one who voted against all the measures sought including the request to compel Israel to ensure aid is delivered in Gaza.
According to the ICJ, the Ugandan-born judge has expertise in dealing with war crimes and handled several high-profile war crime trials including the prosecution of former Liberian politician Charles Ghankay Taylor.
Sebutinde in the SA vs Israel case was not of the view of the majority of judges on the approval of measures that must be taken by the Israeli government in its war against Hamas in which thousands of civilians have allegedly died. According to Al Jazeera more than 25,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza.
She and Israeli judge Aharan Barak rejected the court's approval of South Africa's requests.
Here is a list of the measures and how judges voted:
- The state of Israel shall ensure with immediate effect that its military does not commit any acts of genocide.
Sebutinde and Barak voted against, 15 judges voted in favour.
The state of Israel shall take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide in relation to members of the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip.
Sebutinde was the only one who voted against, 16 judges voted in favour.
The state of Israel shall take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Sebutinde was the only one who voted against, 16 judges voted in favour.
The state of Israel shall, in accordance with its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in relation to Palestinians in Gaza, take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of this Convention, in particular: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm ; deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
Sebutinde and Barak voted against and 15 judges voted in favour of this.
Sebutinde and Barak further rejected an order for Israel to submit a report to the court on all measures taken within one month.
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