Nawaf Salam: Lebanese judge takes on ‘heavy task’ as head of ICJ

Former academic and diplomat has long been an advocate of political reform in his home country

Beirut was among the first thoughts that crossed Nawaf Salam’s mind upon being elected president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a three-year term last week.

“I thought of my city, hoping for the day it will once again be hailed as the ‘mother of laws’,” the Lebanese judge told media by phone from The Hague in the Netherlands, where he lives.

He was referring to Beirut’s status in ancient Rome as a prominent centre for the study of law. “Mother of laws” has remained the motto of Lebanon’s capital and adorns the city’s flag.

Centuries later, the country is grappling with a lack of accountability. Its political elites are seemingly untouchable; most of its high-profile judicial cases have stalled, from political assassinations to financial scandals and, most recently, the deadly 2020 Beirut port explosion.

Mr Salam, a member of the ICJ since 2018, is the first Lebanese and the second Arab to head the UN’s World Court, created in 1945 to settle disputes between states.

“His election is a source of pride for many Lebanese,” said Ziad Majed, a Lebanese political researcher and friend of Mr Salam for 30 years.

Born into a prominent Sunni family from Beirut in 1953, Mr Salam is a jurist, diplomat and intellectual whose rich career has earned him credibility and respect internationally.

“Many in Lebanon are disillusioned by the challenges their country faces but often inspired by individuals like Mr Salam who strive to make a difference and succeed in international institutions. He has the qualifications to live up to the expectations,” he said.

Despite the praise, Mr Salam retains his humility: there is a “heavy task” awaiting him as the new ICJ president, he said.

“The court hasn’t been this busy since 1945, with a multitude of cases with a clear political background,” he said.

He mentioned cases such as Armenia versus Azerbaijan, in which former accuses the latter of ethnic cleansing; Russia versus Ukraine, where Russia is being tried for war crimes; and South Africa’s historic genocide case against Israel over its war in Gaza.

Mr Salam declined to comment on the court’s recent ruling in the genocide case, citing his duty of confidentiality.

The majority of the 17 ICJ judges hearing the case, including Mr Salam, voted for the court’s interim order directing Israel to take measures to protect lives in the Palestinian territory.

Reactions to the court’s decision were mixed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned it as “vile”. Some regretted the ruling did not call for a ceasefire, while others viewed it as a significant step, noting that its implementation effectively depended on a ceasefire.

“I invite you to read the indicated measures,” Mr Salam said simply, confirming his full agreement with them.

The court order requires Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and to allow badly needed humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.

Those close to Mr Salam describe him as a reformist and a moderate intellectual.

His friend, political scientist Karim Bitar, described him as a “well-read multidisciplinary intellectual, familiar with sociology, history and political science, and an avid reader, who always has a reformist bend and cares about Lebanon’s Arabic identity”.