Tánaiste Micheál Martin has responded after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its orders on the request for provisional measures in the South Africa v. Israel case.
The ICJ ordered today, January 26, that Israel take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has also been ordered to submit a report to the ICJ in one month outlining its efforts to adhere to the ICJ's orders.
"I strongly welcome the Court’s orders which are final and binding," the Tánaiste said in a statement today after the orders were announced.
"These are measures that Ireland has been consistently calling for from the start of this conflict."
The Tánaiste continued: "We expect Israel to implement all provisional measures that have been ordered by the Court, in good faith and as a matter of urgency.
"While the Court has not called for a ceasefire, the Court has ordered Israel and the IDF not to commit any acts of genocide, and importantly has ordered Israel to take immediate and effective measures to ensure urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance are provided in Gaza.
"These orders are binding and the Court has ordered Israel to report in one month to demonstrate compliance with its orders.
"It is also imperative that Israel prevents and punishes incitement to genocide.
"As I have repeatedly made clear, bringing about an end to this conflict and to the death and destruction in Gaza is a priority that must be pursued on all fronts – political, diplomatic, humanitarian, and legal. That is my overwhelming priority.
"I reiterate the position of the Government that an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, and full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access is needed in Gaza.
"Today’s orders relate to a specific case under the Genocide Convention. Irrespective of whether any actions are eventually judged to meet the threshold of genocide, we must ensure that all parties to this conflict are held to account for their actions.
"The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is continuing to investigate all serious allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in and from Gaza, whether committed by Israel or by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other non-state armed groups. All States must redouble their efforts to support the investigation by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court into the situation in Palestine.
"As agreed by the Dáil earlier this week, the Government will strongly consider intervention in the case, following detailed analysis of the Court’s decision today.
"I have therefore asked my officials to prepare legal advice for my consideration on an urgent basis."
South Africa's genocide case against Israel has been formally endorsed by more than a dozen other countries and international organizations; Ireland has not endorsed the case, though it has been consistent in calling for a ceasefire.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said earlier in January that Ireland "does not intend" to join the ICJ proceedings.
"I really think this is an area where we need to be very careful," Varadkar said while speaking on RTÉ Radio.
“What’s happened in Gaza is appalling - over 20,000 people killed, mostly innocent civilians, mostly women and children, very possibly war crimes committed both by Israel and Hamas when it comes to the events of the last few months.
"Genocide is something very particular. It is defined as an attempt, a deliberate attempt to destroy an entire nation, an entire race, or to do so in large part.
“And one group of people that has experienced that in the world are Jewish people, the Holocaust. Six million Jews killed here in Europe, and Hitler had a plan to kill many millions more – that is genocide."
Varadkar added: "We need to be very careful about genocide in that context."
He said the international court will determine whether or not the situation in Gaza is genocide.
On Wednesday evening, a private members motion tabled by the Social Democrats demanding the Irish Government support South Africa and intervene in the case at the ICJ was defeated in the Dáil.
As RTÉ reports, a Government amendment to the Social Democrats motion was ultimately passed by the lower house by a margin of 71 votes to 58.
The Government's amendment states it will consider an intervention "... as a matter of urgency after the Court has made its order on preliminary measures and the filing by South Africa of its memorial in the case."
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