Finkelstein: ICJ President Guilty of ‘Wholesale Plagiarism’ in Support of Israel

A forthcoming book by renowned Middle East scholar Norman Finkelstein will make the case that Ugandan jurist Julia Sebutinde, acting president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — also known as the World Court — is guilty of “wholesale plagiarism” in her 36-page dissenting opinion in support of Israel last year (regarding their unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory).

“No less than 32%” of Judge Sebutinde's dissent was “directly lifted from publications by notorious apologists for Israel,” per a press release published to Finkelstein's account on X on Tuesday.

Moreover, he reportedly argues “in painstaking detail” that “the anomalies, errors, and legal contortions” found therein “could have only resulted from either bribery or blackmail by the Israeli government.”

“The problem with Judge Sebutinde… is not just that she’s an unprofessional judge but that the president of the highest judicial body in the world is in thrall to a foreign power.”

Lone Dissent

In the July 2024 advisory opinion in question, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s “continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful,” and that it is “under obligation” to:

• “end its unlawful presence… as rapidly as possible”

• “cease immediately all new settlement activities”

• “evacuate all settlers” from the oPT

• “make reparation for the damage caused…”

They further affirmed that “all states” are obligated “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by” the Israeli occupation, nor to recognize it “as legal.”

“Eleven of the court’s 15 judges agreed with all findings,” explained the non-profit news organization JURIST at the time, while Sebutinde was “the only judge to pen a dissent.”

Voting Against Genocide Prevention

Earlier that year, in January of 2024, Sebutinde was the only judge on a 17-judge panel at the ICJ to vote against all six provisional measures ordered by the court in South Africa's genocide case against Israel.

Even Israel’s own ad hoc judge, Aharon Barak, voted in favor of two of them:

1. That Israel shall “take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide,” and

2. That Israel shall “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”

Sebutinde voted against both of these measures, making the decision 16-1 in each case.

Shortly thereafter, Uganda issued a statement expressing support for the Palestinians and distancing themselves from Sebutinde, stating in part that the “position” that she has taken “is her own individual and independent opinion, and does not in any way reflect the position of the government of the republic of Uganda.”

Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s ambassador to the United Nations, issued a statement to the same effect:

Christian Zionism

Journalist Max Blumenthal has argued that Sebutinde’s extreme positions are “likely a reflection of the Christian Zionist belief system she developed as a member of Watoto, a Pentecostal megachurch in the Ugandan capital of Kampala,” writing in part:

Sebutinde’s opinion opened with a lengthy history of the Israel-Palestine conflict that blended well-worn Zionist propaganda with the Old Testament. In rejecting her colleagues’ ruling declaring Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal, she resorted to accounts of the Jewish presence in the biblical land of Israel, omitting any mention of UN resolutions or international law.

“There is substantial evidence that Jewish people lived in the region of ancient Israel between 1000-586 BCE. This period corresponds to the era of the United Monarchy under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, and the subsequent divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The evidence includes archaeological findings in the City of David…” Sebutinde insisted. “The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) offers detailed accounts of the history, culture, and governance of the Israelites during this period. While these texts are religious in nature, many scholars consider them valuable historical documents.”

Read Blumenthal’s full piece for further details and analysis, including how Sebutinde “developed her worldview under the tutelage of a Canadian pastor and End Times aficionado named Gary Skinner,” and why her dissenting opinion may have been “informed by the terms of Genesis 12:1-3.”

Ascending to the Presidency

Sebutinde became acting president of the ICJ earlier this month when the previous president, Lebanon’s Nawaf Salam, resigned from the court after being named as his country’s new prime minister.

As president, Sebutinde “gains the power to break a deadlocked vote, and may be able to undermine” South Africa’s genocide case against Israel “in a more substantive way than before,“ says Blumenthal.

She had been serving as vice-president of the court since February of 2024.

According to a report in Turkish media, the ICJ is current mulling whether or not to exercise their prerogative to elect a new president:

In an exclusive statement to TRT World, the Court confirmed that Sebutinde will act as serving president, effective immediately. However, the Court has yet to decide whether a new President will be elected to serve the remainder of the term.

“Please note that, in accordance with Article 14 of the Rules of Court, if a vacancy in the presidency occurs before the date when the current term is due to expire, ‘the Court shall decide whether or not the vacancy shall be filled during the remainder of the term’,” the International Court of Justice stated.

For the time being, Sebutinde will act as interim President.

“At this stage, and subject to any decision that the Court will take in this regard, the functions of the presidency are exercised by the Vice-President in accordance with Article 13, paragraph 1, of the Rules of Court,” said the top Court.

‘A Similar Conclusion’

Finkelstein’s book announcement comes on the heels of a new article by Zachary Foster making the same general argument: that Sebutinde plagiarized much of her dissenting opinion, “including whole paragraphs,” from Zionist propagandists.

In his piece, Foster, an historian of Palestine with a Ph.D in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton, lays out what he calls “9 of the most egregious instances” of said plagiarism.

In particular, he documents specific passages that she appears to have lifted from Prager U, The Jewish Virtual Library, and Douglas J. Feith, the last of whom was — per NPR and the New York Times — “an architect of the war in Iraq” as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during the George W. Bush administration.

Upon learning of Finkelstein’s forthcoming book on Tuesday, Foster commented that he had “no idea” that it was in the works, and had reached his “similar conclusion” independently.

He thanked Finkelstein “for being the most meticulous [and] thorough researcher on planet earth.”

“I discovered the plagiarism Sunday morning and immediately posted on Twitter about [it],” he said in another post. “Norman knew about this months ago, I'm guessing, but wanted to present his findings in [as] thorough a format as possible.”

“I very much respect that choice,” Foster continued, “I just couldn't hold back. [Kudos] to Norm for his patience and steadfastness. It's great to see multiple researchers arrive at the same conclusions, though. It suggests Sebutinde is a massive fraud and needs to resign immediately in disgrace.”

Finkelstein’s book, entitled Gaza’s Gravediggers: An inquiry into corruption in high places, will be available from OR Books in June of 2025, according to his press release.

RELATED: Finkelstein debates former AIPAC editor Wolf Blitzer on whether opposition to Zionism is “racist” (1989)

RELATED: Finkelstein confronts Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz about his alleged plagiarism on Democracy Now! (2003)

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