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Nicaragua has formally withdrawn its participation in South Africa’s legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, which accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
The announcement was made Thursday evening, and confirmed to the ICJ. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the decision and called on other countries to follow suit, saying, “other states that have taken the wrong path should now follow Nicaragua’s example.”
The case, initiated by South Africa in December 2023, accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through its military actions in Gaza. South Africa requested that the ICJ order Israel to halt its operations. While the court did not issue such an order, it did rule that the allegations were serious enough to merit further review. It issued provisional measures requiring Israel to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza and to take steps to prevent acts of genocide and incitement.
The proceedings have drawn sharp criticism from Israeli officials, who reject the genocide claims outright. The ICJ’s decision to proceed with the case has been a source of diplomatic tension.
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In September 2023, Chile formally requested to join the proceedings and urged the ICJ to implement additional measures to protect the rights of the Palestinian people and ensure Israeli compliance with the Genocide Convention.
A report published in November by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) alleged that Iran and Qatar had financially and politically supported South Africa’s legal action. According to the report, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, facing severe financial difficulties, received substantial donations from the two countries shortly after filing the case.
The report also noted that South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola attended an inauguration ceremony in Iran, where his Iranian counterpart thanked him publicly for his contribution to the case against Israel.
The ICJ proceedings are ongoing, and additional states may still seek to join or submit legal opinions in the coming months.