Bolivia has officially expressed support for South Africa’s application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Bolivia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, announced that it is joining the case as a signatory to the Genocide Convention, committing itself to peace and justice.
This move comes after Turkey, Malaysia, and Jordan also expressed support for South Africa in the ICJ case.
The statement from Bolivia hailed South Africa’s “historic step in the defense of the Palestinian people.” It also highlighted the joint effort of Bolivia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Comoros, and Djibouti, which submitted a request to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the situation in Palestine on November 17.
The ICC’s leading prosecutor, Karim Khan, has confirmed the receipt of the referral and acknowledged that the investigation includes conduct that may amount to Rome Statute crimes committed since June 13, 2014, in Gaza and the West Bank.
Bolivia’s decision to support South Africa in the ICJ case comes after the country severed diplomatic ties with Israel in October, accusing it of committing “crimes against humanity” in Gaza. Bolivia’s deputy Foreign Minister, Freddy Mamani, condemned Israel’s military conduct as “aggressive and disproportionate” and called for an end to the blockade on Gaza.
The Latin American region has seen a number of countries, including Colombia and Chile, recalling their diplomats from Israel in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Bolivia, which had previously cut diplomatic ties with Israel in 2009, restored relations in 2020 but became critical of Israel again during its bombardment of Gaza. The situation in Gaza has drawn international attention, with ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian crisis and seek justice for the affected Palestinian population.