UN elects five new ICJ judges, including Jordanian and Kenyan jurists critical of Israel

The UN General Assembly and Security Council elected five new judges to the International Court of Justice for terms starting in 2027. Among them are Jordanian judge Mahmoud Daifallah Hamoud and Kenyan judge Phoebe Okowa, who have previously criticized Israeli policies. Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon criticized the selections as biased.

The UN General Assembly and Security Council confirmed on the night of November 5 five new judges for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. They are Dapo Akande from the UK, François Alabrune from France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hamoud from Jordan, Phoebe Okowa from Kenya, and René Lee from Singapore. Their terms will run until 2036. Israel's Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon expressed concern over the election of some judges who have previously taken a hostile stance toward Israel. In particular, Hamoud in 2024 called the construction of the separation fence an "act of apartheid," and in 2023 accused Israel of "war crimes." Danon stated that the General Assembly's decision is an example of UN bias against Israel. The article also recalls that in December 2023, South Africa initiated proceedings against Israel at the ICJ on charges of genocide.