Nicaragua walks back request to join ICJ genocide case against Israel

Nicaragua on Tuesday told the International Court of Justice it is withdrawing its request to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

The court issued a press release on Thursday confirming the withdrawal.

No reason was offered for the move.

It came less than two months after Nicaragua requested to join the case in early February. It also followed the country’s claim before the court last year that Germany violated the genocide convention for selling arms to Israel.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar praised Nicaragua’s withdrawal on Thursday, posting on X, “Better late than never.”

“Nicaragua has withdrawn its morally repugnant intervention in the baseless and outrageous case that was filed by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ,” he wrote, after a similar tweet in Hebrew.

“Others that made the same mistake should follow suit,” he concluded.

Better late than never: Nicaragua has withdrawn its morally repugnant intervention in the baseless and outrageous case that was filed by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ.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. pic.twitter.com/rLQ67pH3IG

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— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) April 3, 2025

There was no immediate comment from the government of Nicaragua about the decision.

The ICJ is currently weighing a case in which Israel is accused of committing genocide in Gaza in the war that began on October 7, 2023, when the Hamas terror group led a devastating cross-border assault, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

Israel has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that none of its actions target civilians and that it takes numerous steps to protect them.

South Africa, which filed the ICJ case, submitted a 750-page document to the court in October of “evidence” of the alleged genocide. As per court procedures, South Africa’s submission will not be made public.

Israel has until July 2025 to file its response.