Lebanese Judge Nawaf Salam elected as ICJ's new president

By Selman Aksunger

THE HAGUE (AA) — Lebanese Judge Nawaf Salam was elected as the new president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Tuesday for a three-year term.

Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde, who voted against all measures sought by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel, was elected as vice president for the same term.

ICJ, the UN's top court, comprises 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

Judge Salam, who began his tenure at the ICJ on Feb. 6, 2018, was Lebanon's Ambassador and permanent representative to the UN before joining the court.

Vice President Sebutinde joined the ICJ on Feb. 6, 2012. Before that, she served as a judge on the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Sebutinde attracted attention after voting against all provisional measures ordered by the ICJ on Jan. 26 in the genocide case against Israel.

The UN court had found South Africa's claim that Israel is committing genocide plausible in its provisional ruling last month. It issued an interim order demanding Israel stop obstructing aid deliveries into Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave.