Who is Julia Sebutinde, the only ICJ judge to oppose all measures against Israel?

Julia Sebutinde, Uganda’s representative to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has become a hero amongst Israel supporters, though her country distanced itself from her. She was among the 17 judges who deliberated on interim measures in the case concerning the Application of the Genocide Convention in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) on Friday. She uniquely voted against all proposed provisional measures, standing out as the sole permanent judge to do so, in contrast to Ad hoc Judge Aharon Barak, who opposed most but supported two.

In her dissenting view, she argued that the core of the dispute was fundamentally political, not legal, and asserted the absence of a credible indication of genocidal intent by Israel.

Adonia Ayebare, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations, criticized Sebutinde on X. “Justice Sebutinde ruling at the International Court of Justice does not represent the Government of Uganda’s position on the situation in Palestine. She has previously voted against Uganda’s case on DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo]. Uganda’s support for the plight of the Palestinian people has been expressed through Uganda’s voting pattern at the United Nations,” the ambassador tweeted.

Justice Sebutinde ruling at the International Court of Justice does not represent the Government of Uganda’s position on the situation in Palestine. She has previously voted against Uganda’s case on DRC. Uganda’s support for the plight of the Palestinian people has been expressed…

— Adonia Ayebare (@adoniaayebare) January 26, 2024

Sebutinde is the first African woman to serve on the court

69-year-old Julia Sebutinde is a distinguished judge from Uganda, serving her second term on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) since March 2012. She is the first African woman to hold this position. She has a rich background in law, having graduated from Makerere University, obtained a diploma from the Law Development Centre in Kampala, and a Master of Laws from the University of Edinburgh, after which she worked in various legal capacities in Uganda, the UK, and Namibia. Sebutinde's notable career includes serving as a judge in the Special Court for Sierra Leone, presiding over high-profile corruption inquiries in Uganda, and her election to the ICJ, reflecting her significant contributions to international justice.

“In my respectful dissenting opinion, the dispute between the State of Israel and the people of Palestine is essentially and historically a political one,” she wrote in her dissenting opinion. “Calling for a diplomatic or negotiated settlement, and for the implementation in good faith of all relevant Security Council resolutions by all parties concerned, to find a permanent solution whereby the Israeli and Palestinian peoples can peacefully coexist,” she wrote.