Key points
- Judge Julia Sebutinde opposed all six ICJ measures against Israel in genocide case
- Connected to an explicitly Zionist church
- For the time being, Sebutinde will act as interim President.
ISLAMABAD: Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde, who opposed all six International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s measures against Israel in the genocide case, will serve as president until further notice.
According to TRT, Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde, currently serving as Vice-President of the ICJ, has stepped in as acting President following the resignation of Lebanese Judge Nawaf Salam. Salam’s departure comes after he was summoned by Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun to assume the role of Prime Minister.
Church explicitly Zionist
According to TRT, Judge Sebutinde’s connections to Uganda’s Pentecostal evangelical community, particularly the Watoto Church, have fuelled concerns of bias, as Sebutinde herself has credited the Church with shaping her values and the Church being explicitly Zionist.
“I have the chance to practice justice at the world level because of the values I picked from Watoto Church. I am proud of Watoto.”
The Watoto Church is among the largest and most prominent independent churches in Uganda, with branches extending to neighbouring South Sudan, Burundi, and even Israel to which it has strong ties. Worshippers at Sunday services are often urged to contribute donations to what they refer to as the “wonderland,” their term for Israel.
“God has blessed Israel by giving them the land of the Palestine as a home forever…,” says an X-post from the Watoto Church.
In an Instagram post in October 2023, Watoto Church shared its support for Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries (FIRM), calling the partnership “an incredible opportunity… to participate in the extension of God’s Kingdom in Israel.”
After Sebutinde’s opposition to the provisional measures, Uganda Covenant Nations Church’s founding pastor praised her, sharing a photo of the judge with the caption.
“Not all heroes wear capes. Julia Sebutinde has taken a historic stand at the ICJ. May God always bless her, and may Uganda as a nation always stand with God.”
ICJ statement
An ICJ statement released earlier this week announcing Salam’s resignation did not mention Sebutinde explicitly, but as the Court’s current vice president, claims were circulating that she would now be fulfilling the responsibilities of the presidency.
In an exclusive statement to TRT World, the Court confirmed that Sebutinde will act as serving president, effective immediately. However, the Court has yet to decide whether a new President will be elected to serve the remainder of the term.
“Please note that, in accordance with Article 14 of the Rules of Court, if a vacancy in the presidency occurs before the date when the current term is due to expire, ‘the Court shall decide whether or not the vacancy shall be filled during the remainder of the term’,” the International Court of Justice stated.
For the time being, Sebutinde will act as interim President.
“At this stage, and subject to any decision that the Court will take in this regard, the functions of the presidency are exercised by the Vice-President in accordance with Article 13, paragraph 1, of the Rules of Court,” said the top Court.
A controversial legacy?
According to TRT, Judge Sebutinde’s tenure on the ICJ bench has been controversial at best, particularly due to her shielding stance on Israel despite its crimes against humanity.
In January 2024, the ICJ issued a landmark ruling, ordering Israel to take immediate measures to protect civilians in Gaza amid its genocidal war. While the Court stopped short of mandating a ceasefire, it imposed six provisional measures aimed at preventing genocide and ensuring accountability.
South Africa, the party requesting the intervention, argued that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounted to genocide and urged the Court to demand a halt to the operation. Of the 17 judges on the panel, the ICJ overwhelmingly approved the six measures, with even an Israeli judge supporting two of them. Yet, Judge Julia Sebutinde of Uganda stood alone in opposing all six.