Key facts
- Colombia has withdrawn its declaration of intervention in the ICJ case brought by South Africa against Israel concerning Gaza.
- The decision was communicated to the ICJ on September 18.
- Colombia's withdrawal does not affect the ongoing proceedings.
- Article 63 of the ICJ Statute allows non-parties to intervene in cases concerning conventions to which they are also parties.
Colombia has withdrawn its declaration of intervention in the International Court of Justice's case concerning alleged genocide in Gaza. The decision was communicated to the ICJ on September 18, according to the court. Article 63 of the ICJ Statute allows states that are not parties to a dispute to intervene if the case involves the interpretation of a convention to which they are also signatories. The court's interpretation of the convention in its decision would then be binding on those intervening states. Colombia's move does not affect the ongoing proceedings, which South Africa initiated against Israel in December 2023. The current administration under President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on August 7, has reversed several policies of the previous government led by Gustavo Petro, which had been supportive of Palestinian rights and critical of Israel's actions in Gaza.