Will the ICJ try Israel on charges of apartheid? MEMO in Conversation with Victor Kattan

In an unprecedented move, allegations of Israel practising apartheid are being examined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Join us for this week’s MEMO in Conversation with Dr Victor Kattan as we discuss the groundbreaking developments surrounding the allegations of Israeli apartheid made before the ICJ and the potential impact of an authoritative apartheid finding by the World Court.

An Assistant Professor of Public International Law at the University of Nottingham, Kattan highlights the possibility of the reactivation of UN mechanisms such as the Special Committee Against Apartheid, and the lessons learned from the international community’s response to apartheid in South Africa during the Cold War.

Kattan provided insight into the distinction between proving the crimes of apartheid and genocide, as well as the role of ad hoc institutions in enforcing international law, while discussing the recent decision by the Appeals Court of The Hague in the Netherlands, which suspended F-35 parts shipments to Israel, as a potential precedent for restricting arms transfers. Kattan offered valuable perspectives on the critical steps needed to address the allegations of Israeli apartheid and ensure the protection of Palestinian rights under international law.

Victor is the author of one monograph, four edited books, and more than 30 single authored articles that have been published in peer reviewed journals. He has also published widely on social media, including scholarly blogs, and his scholarship has been cited by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), states in advisory proceedings before the ICJ, Special Rapporteurs to the UN Human Rights Council, the Congressional Research Service, and leading academics.

His recent publications include an edited book with Brian Cuddy, titled ‘Making Endless War: The Vietnam and Arab-Israeli Conflicts in the History of International Law’ and ‘The Breakup of India and Palestine: The Causes and Legacies of Partition’ which he edited with Amit Ranjan.

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