Pro-Israel Ugandan ICJ Judge Poised to Assume Presidency

The Hague (Quds News Network)- Uganda’s judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Julia Sebuntinde, the only judge who voted against all of the court’s rulings in Israel’s case to protect Palestinians in Gaza, is now poised to assume the presidency.
The Ugandan judge will take the helm following current President Nawat Salam’s departure to form Lebanon’s next government, according to reports.
In a press release, the ICJ announced on Tuesday that judge Nawaf Salam, President of the International Court of Justice, has resigned as a Member of the Court with effect from January 14, 2025. His term as Member and President of the Court was due to expire on 5 February 2027.
Who’s Julia Sebuntinde?
Born in February 1954, Sebutinde is a Ugandan judge serving her second term at the ICJ. She has been a judge at the court since March 2021. She is the first African woman to sit on the international court.
Before being elected to the ICJ, Sebutinde was a judge of the Special Court for Sierra Leone. She was appointed to that position in 2007.
ICJ Gaza Genocide Case Against Israel
In January 2024, the ICJ delivered its interim ruling on the emergency measures requested by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel over its war in Gaza.
The top United Nations court in The Hague ordered Israel to implement six measures to prevent and punish the direct incitement of genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip.
ICJ President Joan Donoghue noted that the court had found sufficient evidence of dispute for the genocide case and said it would not throw it out.
South Africa has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide but Israel has rejected the allegation, claiming that its activities in Gaza stem from “self-defence”, and are necessary to root out Hamas. It added that the war cannot end until that goal has been achieved.
Against All ICJ Rulings
Fifteen of the 17 judges voted for all the emergency measures to be implemented. Sebutinde was the only judge to vote against all the measures.
Israeli judge Aharon Barak, one of the judges sitting at The Hague, said, “Although I am convinced there is no plausibility of genocide,” he voted for two of the measures.
Sebutinde responded, “In my respectful dissenting opinion the dispute between the State of Israel and the people of Palestine is essentially and historically a political one.”
“It is not a legal dispute susceptible to judicial settlement by the Court,” she added.
She also said that South Africa didn’t demonstrate that the acts allegedly committed by Israel were “committed with the necessary genocidal intent, and that as a result, they are capable of falling within the scope of the Genocide Convention”.
The ambassador of Uganda to the United Nations expressed a different opinion.
“Justice Sebutinde ruling at the International Court of Justice does not represent the Government of Uganda’s position on the situation in Palestine,” he said in a statement on X.
Justice Sebutinde ruling at the International Court of Justice does not represent the Government of Uganda’s position on the situation in Palestine. She has previously voted against Uganda’s case on DRC. Uganda’s support for the plight of the Palestinian people has been expressed…
— Adonia Ayebare (@adoniaayebare) January 26, 2024
“The position taken by Judge Sebutinde is her own individual and independent opinion, and does not in any way reflect the position of the government of the republic of Uganda,” the government also said in a statement.