Urgent Concerns Regarding the impending matter of South Africa v. Israel with the ICJ
Dear Madam President and esteemed panel of Judges,
I hope this message finds you well and resolute. My name is LaurentFournier, I live in Kolkata (India). I am reaching out to you with a
sense of urgency and sincere apprehension which prompts me to break my
customary silence.
I have always held the belief that individuals in positions of
authority, such as yourself, harbour the best interests of humanity at
heart. However, recent developments in the Middle East and the global
response to them have stirred doubt in my convictions, compelling me
to express my concerns directly to you.
As I explored the International Court of Justice's website, I took
solace in the fact that it consists of "independent judges, elected
regardless of their nationality from among persons of high moral
character." With this understanding, I address you regarding the
impending South Africa v. Israel matter, the provisional measures
hearing of which is scheduled for Thursday, 11th and Friday, 12th
January 2024.
I am sure that you are acutely aware of the gravity of the case before
you, and I believe that your ability to discern the truth, resist
external pressures, and deliver a just judgment is foremost on your
mind. The Genocide Convention, a cornerstone of international law, was
established in 1948 as a commitment to 'never again' allow atrocities
akin to those committed by the Nazi’s in WW2. 152 states out of 194
nations of the world honourably signed up to the convention. It is a
testament to our parents and grandparents that their generations
committed to a set of standards that constitute the basic principles
of right and wrong, which underpin the fabric of the world we live in
and form the basis of the lives most of us are lucky enough to lead.
The very fact that the responsibility of adjudicating on this case has
fallen upon your shoulders underscores a disheartening truth – the
failure of existing systems of checks and balances within the
international community. It is disconcerting that national interests
have tainted the operations of our global systems, allowing the mass
killing of civilians to persist without intervention. I find this
reality appalling, as do countless citizens around the world who have
expressed their horror through protests on the streets of cities
across the globe.
I humbly beseech you to approach this case with the utmost diligence,
impartiality, and commitment to justice. The eyes of the world are
upon you, and the outcome of this particular case will reverberate
through history, shaping perceptions of the ICJ's impartiality and
moral standing.
Yours sincerely,
Laurent Fournier
architect
Kolkata, India
to:
| j.donoghue@icj-cij.org, K.GEVORGIAN@icj-cij.org, p.tomka@icj-cij.org, r.abraham@icj-cij.org, m.bennouna@icj-cij.org, a.yusuf@icj-cij.org, h.xue@icj-cij.org, j.sebutinde@icj-cij.org, d.bhandari@icj-cij.org, p.robinson@icj-cij.org, n.salam@icj-cij.org, y.iwasawa@icj-cij.org, g.nolte@icj-cij.org, h.charlesworth@icj-cij.org, l.brant@icj-cij.org |
Thanks to Mohammed Akunjee for providing a great sample letter, and the emails of judges.
https://twitter.com/mohammedakunjee/status/1744119104921829438
