Nicaragua withdraws from South Africa’s ICJ ‘genocide’ lawsuit against Israel

The Republic of Nicaragua announced it would withdraw its support for South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which alleges that Israel is committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement the court released on Thursday, “Nicaragua informed the Court that it had decided to withdraw the Application for permission to intervene.”

There was no additional explanation of the move from Nicaragua. “Better late than never,” commented Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar.

“Nicaragua has withdrawn its morally repugnant intervention in the baseless and outrageous case that was filed by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ. Others that made the same mistake should follow suit,” he wrote on 𝕏.

In early February, Nicaragua asked to join 13 other states, including Chile, Spain, Ireland and Turkey, along with the Palestinian Authority, in their support of the South African motion.

The ICJ also rejected an unusual motion by Nicaragua to censor Germany over its arms sales to Israel in May 2024. “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case, has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide,” the country alleged at the time.

Nicaragua severed diplomatic ties with Israel last year, claiming the Israeli government is “fascist and genocidal” in its military response against Hamas in Gaza.

The Nicaraguan announcement is another diplomatic success for Israel, and follows shortly after Hungary received Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite outstanding arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court.

Shortly after, Hungary announced it would withdraw from the court’s authority.

South Africa accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza in a formal legal case submitted to the ICJ in The Hague in January 2024. The following month, the ICJ dismissed a request from South Africa to impose urgent measures against Israel for its planned military operation against Hamas terrorists in Rafah.

In October, South Africa submitted 750 pages of “evidence” to support its allegations. Israel has until July 2025 to file its response.

South Africa’s genocide case against Israel is being funded by Iran, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) last November.

The report, "South Africa, Hamas, Iran, and Qatar: The Hijacking of the ANC and the International Court of Justice," states that South Africa has developed strategic relationships with Iran's terrorist proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as with leading state sponsors of terrorism in Iran and Qatar.