Uganda has distanced itself from Julia Sebutinde, the ICJ judge who voted against all provisional measures against Israel in a case brought by South Africa concerning the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza.
“Justice Sebutinde ruling at the ICJ does not represent the Government of Uganda’s position on the situation in Palestine,” Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Adonia Ayebare, wrote on X.
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“Uganda’s support for the plight of the Palestinian people has been expressed through our voting pattern at the United Nations.”
The South African government brought the case against Israel on December 29, accusing it of “genocidal acts” in its military assaults on Gaza. The case was heard on January 11 in The Hague.
The International Court of Justice ordered Israel on Friday to take measures to prevent and punish direct incitement of genocide in its ongoing war in Gaza.
“The state of Israel shall (..) take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the genocide convention,” the ICJ said.
An overwhelming majority of the ICJ’s 17-judge panel voted to order urgent measures, which covered most of South Africa’s request, aside from ordering a halt to the Israeli war on Gaza.
Sebutinde voted against all six measures of the ICJ. She is now facing the wrath of the world for her vote with several social media users saying that Ugandans should be embarrassed.
“Judge Julia Sebutinde is such an embarrassment to her country and a disgrace to humanity. She didn’t just vote against S. Africa’s petition, she voted against reason and morality, justice and freedom, love and compassion. She voted against the very soul of humanity,” one Kenyan user wrote on X.
What Does the ICJ Ruling Mean for Gaza? – Intl. Law Expert Answers
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 26,257 Palestinians have been killed, and 64,797 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Palestinian and international estimates say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
(PC, WAFA)
