As South Africa opened its genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the only Irish presence felt was that of the lawyer Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh. Laying bare the apocalyptic destruction that has been wrought on Palestinians in Gaza, Ní Ghrálaigh told the court, in unforgettable words, that Gazans were “broadcasting their own destruction in real time . . . in the desperate, so far vain hope that the world might do something.”

However, the Irish government has so far refused to legally intervene in or even informally support the South African case. The ruling coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party has previously attracted praise for its rhetorical condemnations of Israel, leading to exaggerated claims that Ireland is a uniquely pro-Palestinian voice on the European stage — an island of solidarity in an ocean of apathy.

Yet Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he was “a little bit uncomfortable” accusing Israel of genocide for historical reasons, despite the overwhelming evidence of intent from Israeli politicians and military officials presented by South Africa’s legal team at the ICJ. A group of opposition parties — Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, and People Before Profit — are advocating for Ireland to join South Africa’s historic filing.