Jordanian Legal Expert Mahmoud Daifallah Elected ICJ Judge

Mahmoud Daifallah Mahmoud Hmoud of Jordan, newly elected to serve as a judge on the International Court of Justice (ICJ). (File photo)

A veteran diplomat and distinguished legal scholar from Jordan, Mahmoud Daifallah Mahmoud Hmoud, was elected on Tuesday to serve as a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

His appointment followed parallel and independent secret ballot elections held in both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. He will fill the vacancy left by former ICJ President Nawaf Salam of Lebanon, who resigned in January to assume office as Prime Minister of his country. Mr. Hmoud will serve the remainder of Judge Salam’s term, which runs until 5 February 2027.

Mr. Hmoud was the sole candidate for the vacant seat, having been nominated by Egypt, Jordan, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden. To be elected, a candidate must secure an absolute majority in both chambers: at least 97 votes in the General Assembly and eight in the Security Council.

His candidacy was met with strong support: all 15 members of the Security Council voted in his favour, while in the General Assembly, 178 out of 181 participating Member States backed his election. Three countries abstained.

Mr. Hmoud has served as Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York since September 2021. His diplomatic and legal career spans decades, including past roles as Legal Adviser and Director of the Legal Department at Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He is also a former Chairman and Member of the International Law Commission (ILC), a UN expert body tasked with promoting the development and codification of international law. His experience in international legal affairs and multilateral diplomacy has earned him broad recognition among Member States.

Commonly known as the "World Court," the ICJ is based at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It adjudicates legal disputes between states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred by UN organs and specialised agencies.

The Court is composed of 15 judges, each serving a nine-year term. Every three years, elections are held for five seats, and judges may be re-elected. While judges are selected based on their legal expertise, no two judges may be from the same country, ensuring geographical diversity.

The ICJ has recently drawn global attention for its advisory opinion last July, which deemed Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as “unlawful.” The Court is also currently holding hearings regarding Israel’s restrictions on the operations of UN and international humanitarian agencies in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Established in June 1945, the ICJ is one of the six main organs of the United Nations. Unlike the others, which are based in New York, the ICJ operates from The Hague, reinforcing its distinct and impartial judicial identity.

With his election, Mr. Hmoud joins a prestigious bench of jurists tasked with upholding international law at the highest level—bringing with him a wealth of expertise at a time when global legal norms are under increasing scrutiny.