ICJ Vice President Under Fire for Declaring God ‘Relies on Her’ to Support Israel
By Mohamed El-Sayed Rashid
Ugandan judge Julia Sebutinde, Vice President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has sparked outrage after claiming that “God relies on her to support Israel.”
Speaking at a Christian gathering, Sebutinde declared that her backing for Israel is not only legal but divinely inspired — a statement critics argue undermines the neutrality and credibility of the world’s highest court.
Human rights activist Shula Shokba, winner of the Right Livelihood Award (often called the Alternative Nobel Prize), denounced her remarks as “a disgrace to international justice,” accusing Sebutinde of using religion to justify occupation and mass killings in Gaza.
The controversy comes at a critical moment, as the ICJ faces mounting pressure to rule on allegations of war crimes and genocide against Palestinians. Sebutinde has previously dissented from the court’s majority in cases related to Israel, fueling concerns about her impartiality.
Observers warn that such statements risk politicizing the ICJ, raising urgent questions: Can the world trust an international court where judges claim divine mandate to support a state accused of war crimes?
