Morally and politically, Indonesia fully supports South Africa's initiative to push the ICJ to react to the alleged genocide in GazaJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi will deliver oral statements before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on February 19 in a proceeding instituted by South Africa concerning Israel's alleged genocide committed in Gaza.
Marsudi will attend the proceeding to urge the international court to provide an advisory opinion as requested by the United Nations General Assembly, according to the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
"Morally and politically, Indonesia fully supports South Africa's initiative to push the ICJ to react to the alleged genocide in Gaza," the ministry's spokesperson, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, noted in a short message in Jakarta on Tuesday.
However, he remarked that Indonesia cannot join in the lawsuit, as it is not a party to the 1948 Genocide Convention.
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On December 30, 2022, the UN General Assembly requested an advisory opinion from the ICJ on the legal status and consequences arising from Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory.
An advisory opinion is a legal opinion provided by the ICJ at the request of a UN agency or a country. The opinion is not legally binding in nature, but it can result in significant political and legal impacts.
UN agencies and bodies, including the UN Security Council, can request for an advisory opinion from the ICJ on any legal matter.
The proceeding pushed by South Africa is scheduled to take place in Den Haag, the Netherlands, in February this year.
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Earlier, Malaysia and Turkey warmly welcomed South Africa's move to initiate legal proceedings against Israel at the ICJ pertaining to the alleged violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has also stated its support for South Africa's initiative.
Meanwhile, the United States viewed South Africa's move as a pointless, meritless, and counterproductive measure.
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Translator: Yashinta Difa, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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