The Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib (Francophone liberal) has said that Belgium intends to tell the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague its interpretation of what constitutes genocide. Speaking on Monday Ms Lahbib (photo) said that Belgium wishes to do this during the proceedings that South Africa has brought against Israel at the ICC.
Belgium wants to be heard by the International Criminal Court in the genocide case against Israel
Published:
Since January at South Africa’s request, the International Criminal Court in The Hague has been deliberating whether Israel is guilty of genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
A definitive judgement in this case may take years, but the ICC has already urged Israel to avoid committing genocide in Gaza, a request that has been supported by several countries including Belgium.
Like all other countries that signed up to the 1948 Genocide Convention, Belgium received a letter from the ICC asking for its interpretation the Convention. Speaking on Monday the Belgian foreign Minister said that "Belgium wishes to participate and share its interpretation of Article 2 of the 1948 Convention”.
Universal character
"It's not about choosing sides or being for or against one party or the other, but about strengthening the universal nature of international conventions," Ms Lahbib said. With this in mind, Ms Lahbib also supports another case that is pending at the International Criminal Court. This is a case that Gambia has brought against Myanmar on the question of whether Myanmar is committing genocide against the Rohingya. The Belgian Foreign Minister says that this case is being handled in the same way "as we have already done in the case between Ukraine and Russia regarding the interpretation of the convention."