The president of the International Court of Justice, which is tomorrow releasing an opinion in another politically-motivated case targeting Israel, voted 210 times to condemn the Jewish state when he served as Lebanon’s UN ambassador, and delivered inflammatory speeches accusing “terrorist Jewish organizations” of committing “organized massacres,” according to a new report by the non-governmental organization UN Watch. CLICK FOR VIDEO
The President of the International Court of Justice voted 210 times to condemn the Jewish state when he served as Lebanon’s UN ambassador, and delivered inflammatory speeches accusing “terrorist Jewish organizations” of committing “organized massacres,” according to a new report by the non-governmental organization UN Watch. VIDEO
On Friday at 15:00 in The Hague, the ICJ will release an advisory opinion that is expected to conclude that Israel occupies the West Bank in violation of international law. The opinion was requested by a Palestinian-sponsored resolution of the UN General Assembly.
But according to the new report by UN Watch, the head of the court has a long record of anti-Israel votes and statements.
Under the clear rules of the ICJ Charter, he is legally disqualified from sitting in judgment on the two cases related to Israel, said Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based organization.
Nawaf Salam was elected president of the ICJ in February 2024. He first joined the court as a judge in February 2018, following his 11-year tenure as Lebanon’s ambassador to the UN.
Today’s report by UN Watch, an independent monitoring organization based in Geneva, analyzed Salam’s record as Lebanese envoy from 2007 to 2017, and found compelling evidence - based on hundreds of UN votes, speeches and other statements - showing that he is not a fair and impartial arbiter of justice on issues related to Israel or human rights.
Key findings on Nawaf Salam’s bias against Israel:
- During his time as Lebanon’s representative to the UN, Salam voted to condemn Israel 210 times.
- These resolutions contained one-sided denunciations of Israel, and gave a free pass to Hamas. For example, in December 2008, Salam voted for a resolution that accused Israel of “acts of terror, provocation, incitement and destruction” against Palestinians, yet made no mention of Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
- Another resolution that Nawaf supported, in 2017, accused Israel of “systematic violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people,” and “causing death and injury to Palestinian civilians, including children, women and non-violent, peaceful demonstrators.”
- In his speeches to the UN, Salam also made many inflammatory statements that demonstrate extreme bias against Israel. In January 2008, Salam accused “terrorist Jewish organizations” of committing “massacres.” He also said that Gaza was an “open air prison.” CLICK FOR VIDEO
- In a November 2008 UN speech, Salam said the “supreme Zionist leadership” pursued a plan of “ethnic cleansing” through “terrorism and organized massacres.”
- In November 2009, Salam told the UN General Assembly that “for too long [Israel’s] war criminals have benefited from impunity”; and Israel was guilty of “flagrant disrespect for international law.” CLICK FOR VIDEO
- In 2011, he accused Israel of “illegitimate actions.”
- On June 13, 2014, Salam accused Israel of “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes.” CLICK FOR VIDEO
- On June 18, 2014, Salam opposed the candidacy of Israel to the vice-presidency of the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, on the grounds that it is “the most condemned country” at the General Assembly and that it continues to “violate the rules of the international community.” Salam said that Israel was not eligible for election “to any office” at the UN.
- On numerous occasions, including November 2016, Salam has accused Israel of “apartheid.” CLICK FOR VIDEO
- Salam has also repeatedly attacked Israel on social media. In 2015, on Twitter he called Israel a “Triumph of blatant racist & colonialist choices.”
- In 2016, in reference to the 2006 war launched by Hezbollah, Salam accused of using “the most vicious & disgusting weapons of all times.” He never once condemned Hezbollah for launching the war, or for attacking Israeli civilians with thousands of rockets. On the contrary, Salam inverted the cause of the war, writing falsely that it was Israel that “launched a 33 day war against my country…”
Key findings on Nawaf Salam’s betrayal of human rights victims
Salam repeatedly failed to side with victims of human rights abuses during his tenure as Lebanon’s representative to the UN:
- Salam consistently sided with the Islamic Republic of Iran. He voted against all 11 General Assembly resolutions during his tenure that condemned the Iranian regime’s violations against its people.
- In 2007, Salam voted against a UN resolution calling for the release of political prisoners in Belarus. In doing so, he joined a small minority that included China, Russia, Cuba, Iran, Syria and North Korea.
- As civil war was breaking out in Syria in April 2011, Salam used his seat on the Security Council to block a collective press statement from the council that would have condemned the Syrian regime for attacking civilian protesters. Salam expressed support for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s “reforms.”
- In October 2011, Salam abstained on a Security Council resolution that would have condemned Assad’s brutal crackdown on protesters. The abstention provoked Lebanese politicians to call for Salam’s resignation.
- Salam subsequently refused to support seven UN General Assembly resolutions that condemned the Assad regime for atrocities against civilians, instead voting to abstain.
- Salam posted on social media his praise for mass murderer Fidel Castro, writing that he was the Cuban dictator was an “icon of rebellion and resistance.”
Nawaf Salam Should Face Sanctions
“The U.S. and other democracies should consider placing sanctions on Salam for his failure to recuse himself from the two Israel-related cases now before the court,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch.
In April, a bipartisan letter from Members of Congress called on the Biden administration to restrict Salam’s travel to the U.S. and explore other sanctions if he did not recuse himself.
“Because Salam ignored the Congress and failed to step down, he should now face sanctions,” said Neuer.
“Judge Salam’s extensive record of bias against Israel, now documented by UN Watch in great detail, and his persistent violations of the ICJ charter, demonstrate that he cannot be a fair and neutral arbiter in these cases,” said Neuer.
