Through the UN, Indonesia will defend Palestine at the International Court of Justice

Abdul Razak5 January 2024

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Indonesia is ready to defend Palestine at the International Court of Justice

Indonesia is ready to support Palestine in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) trial through the United Nations (UN). Indonesia will defend Palestine by providing arguments in the process of forming an advisory opinion regarding Palestine at the ICJ.

This was conveyed by the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, as quoted by CNN Indonesia from Antara, Thursday (4/1/2024). "This question from the General Assembly is what allows Indonesia to provide an opinion (regarding Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories) before the ICJ," said Retno.

An advisory opinion is a legal opinion given by the ICJ at the request of an agency or country such as the UN. Advisory opinions are not legally binding, but can have significant political and legal influence.

Retno also said that Indonesia was taking a different path to South Africa, which directly sued Israel for the genocide in Palestine. He said that Indonesia was not a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention so Indonesia would defend Palestine through other channels, one of which was through the UN.

“So these are two separate things. The path that South Africa is taking and the path that is being pursued is based on questions from the General Assembly to the ICJ, where it is possible for Indonesia to attend and provide an opinion, that is where we will enter. "Once again, we will take the method that has been possible so far," said Retno.

The process of forming this advisory opinion itself will be held in February.

Previously, South Africa submitted a lawsuit regarding the genocide committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip to the ICJ. South Africa's lawsuit was welcomed by Malaysia and Turkey as well as Islamic countries that are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The United States deemed South Africa's request "inappropriate, counterproductive and completely baseless." The South African lawsuit itself will be heard on January 11 and 12 in The Hague, Netherlands.