Bolivia has formally aligned itself with South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The announcement from the court confirmed that Bolivia submitted an application on Tuesday to intervene in the case, which alleges that Israel has engaged in “genocidal acts” during its military operations in Gaza, contravening the Genocide Convention.
Bolivia’s participation adds to a growing coalition of nations involved in the proceedings, including Colombia, Libya, Spain, Mexico, Palestine, Nicaragua, and Turkey.
In a significant ruling earlier this year, the ICJ mandated that Israel must take all necessary actions to prevent genocide in Gaza and ensure that United Nations-mandated investigators have unfettered access to the area. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the court’s interim ruling as “outrageous,” asserting that Israel would persist in its “just war.”
Following the ICJ’s January ruling, Amnesty International reported that Israel had “failed to take the bare minimum steps” to comply with the court’s orders. South Africa has since returned to the ICJ multiple times, arguing that the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza necessitates new emergency measures.
In May, the ICJ ordered Israel to cease its military offensive in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. However, Israel has disregarded this ruling, as it has others. While ICJ decisions are legally binding, the court lacks enforcement power.
In its submission, Bolivia, which severed ties with Israel in November, emphasized that “Israel’s genocidal war continues, and the Court’s orders remain dead letters to Israel.” Bolivia seeks to intervene in the case, asserting its responsibility to denounce the crime of genocide.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the ongoing conflict has resulted in over 42,000 deaths, predominantly among civilians, translating to one in every 55 residents. Additionally, a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in 1,139 fatalities in Israel.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza in a statement commemorating the war’s first anniversary. He noted that families in the enclave endure daily challenges, including forced displacement, disease, hunger, and death, which have become a grim reality for the two million residents trapped in a besieged and devastated area.