The report titled “Record of Bias: The Case of ICJ President Nawaf Salam” by UN Watch provides an extensive analysis of President Nawaf Salam’s actions and statements during his tenure as Lebanon’s ambassador to the UN and as President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The report argues that Salam’s past actions and rhetoric demonstrate a clear bias against Israel, making him unfit to preside over cases involving the country.
The report highlights several key points:
Voting Record: During his time as Lebanon’s representative to the UN, Salam voted 210 times to condemn Israel, supporting resolutions that criticized Israel’s actions while often ignoring or downplaying the actions of groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad. These resolutions frequently contained one-sided denunciations of Israel, accusing it of various crimes without mentioning the provocations and attacks by Palestinian groups.
Public Statements: Salam’s speeches at the UN were marked by inflammatory language against Israel. He accused Jewish organizations of committing “organized massacres” and described Gaza as an “open-air prison.” In various speeches, he labeled Israel as an apartheid state and accused it of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and other serious violations of international law.
Human Rights Votes: Salam consistently sided with authoritarian regimes and opposed resolutions aimed at protecting human rights in countries like Iran, Belarus, and Syria. He voted against condemning Iran’s human rights abuses, including its use of stoning and torture. Similarly, he opposed resolutions that criticized Belarus’s political repression and Syria’s brutal crackdown on protesters during the civil war.
Conflict of Interest: The report argues that Salam’s extensive record of anti-Israel bias disqualifies him from presiding over cases involving Israel. Under the ICJ’s rules, judges are required to recuse themselves from cases where there might be a conflict of interest or the appearance of bias. Despite this, Salam has not stepped down from cases concerning Israel, leading to calls for his recusal and potential sanctions against him.
Political Ambitions: The report also touches on Salam’s political connections, noting that his name was floated for the position of Prime Minister of Lebanon by Hezbollah. This political involvement is seen as further evidence of his inability to remain impartial in his judicial role.
The report concludes with a call for action, suggesting that if Salam does not recuse himself from cases involving Israel, the U.S. and other democracies should consider imposing sanctions on him to maintain the integrity of the ICJ and ensure the fair administration of justice. The full extent of Salam’s bias, as documented in this report, poses a significant threat to the impartiality required of his position at the ICJ.
The detailed documentation of Salam’s voting record, speeches, and actions provides a compelling case for his recusal from any ICJ cases involving Israel to uphold the court’s standards of impartiality and fairness.