IRISH opposition parties have rallied together to urge the Irish government to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Last week representatives from Sinn Féin, the Irish Labour Party, the Social Democrats and People Before Profit attended a press conference to call on the Dublin government to join the proceedings at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands.

Under the Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.

This includes killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; and forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Speaking in Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan said it was unacceptable for the Irish government to not join South Africa.

“It is unacceptable that the Irish government have refused to join South Africa’s referral to the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention against Israel.

“Ireland made a referral to the ICJ against Russia in respect of the war in Ukraine.  Sinn Féin supported that position.

“It smacks of the double-standards that have been evident since the war in Gaza began that governments, including Ireland, that made the referral against Russia now refuse to join the referral against Israel.

“The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has been coupled with collective punishment measures that have included the forced displacement of two million people and the denial of water, food, fuel and emergency supplies to the civilian population and a humanitarian and healthcare catastrophe that is worsening by the day.

“If the case for making a referral to the ICJ against Russia was strong, and it was, then the case for doing so in respect of Israeli aggression is beyond dispute.

“The Irish people have been horrified by the actions of Israel in Gaza and the failure of the international community to demand they stop. They have welcomed the strong words of the Irish government.

Mr Sheehan continued: "Words must be matched by actions. Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin must change course and agree to joining South Africa in their ICJ proceedings against Israel concerning violations under the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.

“It will be only through such actions that Israel can be brought to ending its bombardment of Gaza, their massacre of civilians and children, and their mass displacement of an entire population.

“Anything less can only be regarded as double-standards and will be judged harshly by future generations.”

West Belfast People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said world governments shouldn't "quietly acquiesce" to the genocide of the Palestinian people. 

“South Africa has launched an important bid to halt Israel’s genocide,” he said.

“Our duty is to continue to build the mass international movement to end the slaughter of Palestinians and end the apartheid system.

“In November, People Before Profit TDs called on Leo Varadkar and the Irish government to bring a similar case against Israel. Shame on them for refusing this request and shame on them for refusing to support South Africa in its efforts to end the slaughter of Palestinians. 

“It is not good enough for the world governments to quietly acquiesce to the genocide of the Palestinian people. Israel needs to face boycott, divestment, and sanctions by people and states across the globe. The war criminals in the Israeli war cabinet must also be hauled before the International Criminal Court."