United Nations: Veteran Jordanian diplomat and legal expert Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud has been elected as a judge to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial body of the United Nations. His election follows a dual secret ballot process held simultaneously by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council on Tuesday.
Hmoud succeeds former ICJ President Nawaf Salam of Lebanon, who resigned in January after being appointed Prime Minister of his country. Hmoud will serve the remainder of Judge Salam’s term, which ends on February 5, 2027.
Nominated by Egypt, Jordan, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden, Hmoud ran unopposed for the seat. To be elected, a candidate must secure an absolute majority in both UN chambers—97 votes in the General Assembly and 8 in the Security Council. Hmoud received overwhelming support, with all 15 Council members and 178 of 181 participating General Assembly members voting in his favor. Three countries abstained.
A seasoned figure in international law, Hmoud has served as Jordan’s Ambassador to the UN in New York since 2021 and previously led the Legal Department at the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is also a former chairman and member of the UN’s International Law Commission, which focuses on the progressive development of international legal frameworks.
The ICJ, often referred to as the “world court,” adjudicates legal disputes between UN Member States and provides advisory opinions on complex legal questions. Comprising 15 judges with staggered nine-year terms, the Court is based at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It remains the only UN principal organ located outside New York.
The ICJ has recently been in the global spotlight for its advisory ruling declaring Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank “unlawful,” and for ongoing hearings into humanitarian restrictions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Hmoud’s election adds another prominent voice to the Court during a period of heightened international legal challenges and reinforces Jordan’s presence in the global legal arena.
