Adila Hassim, a South African lawyer, became popular for representing the South African legal team in the Gaza genocide case at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
On January 11, 2024, in the ICJ, she delivered a compelling speech accusing Israel of committing “acts of genocide” during its war against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.
Her opening for the hearing at the court on behalf of South Africa and argumentative voice for Palestinians dealing with the Israeli blockade on Gaza saw her global applause.
With an experience of two decades, Hassim specializes in constitutional, administrative, health, and competition law and has a reputation for intense involvement in complex cases.
Where Is Lawyer Adila Hassim From? Age, Nationality & Ethnicity
Advocate Adila Hassim is from South Africa and is a South African by nationality. Even if her date of birth is not out, she is allegedly in her late 30s.
Her birthday falls on January 14; she posted on her Facebook in January 2015 thanking her friends for their warm wishes on her birthday.
As for her ethnicity, the details of her ancestry and family background remain under wraps. Guesses are that, since she is involved in critical cases that might attract some unwanted attention, she wants her personal life low-key.
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Adila Hassim’s Religion: What Is Her Faith?
Hassim is of the Muslim faith, which drew a lot of attention in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case of South Africa vs. Israel.
There have been thin-air talks that her religious faith played a role in her involvement in the “genocide” acts from Israel (with a Jewish majority) over Palestine (with a Sunni Islam majority). However, above the context of religious faith, her Palestinian rights activism is the faith in justice and compassion for the underserved.
Impressive Arrary Of Academics
Adila Hassim is a graduate of the University of Natal in South Africa, with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Upon earning a Franklin Thomas Fellowship, she moved to the United States to attend the Saint Louis University- School of Law in Saint Louis, Missouri. Hassim graduated with a Master of Laws (LLM) in 1999.
Then, she enrolled at the University of Notre Dame- Notre Dame Law School, on the Rev Lewers–Bradlow Foundation Fellowship. She obtained her Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) in 2006.
Who Is Adila Hassim’s Husband? Relationship And Children
Hassim is a married woman and the mother of two children (both sons), Mika’il and Jamil, with her husband. According to hints from her Facebook, her husband is none other than professor and philosopher Thaddeus Metz.
On June 3, 2016, she tagged Metz on her Facebook post while sharing her son’s achievements, and wrote, “A very proud Mum right now!”. Her son Maka’il got the 1st position in some events at Parkview Senior Primary School.
Even if there are no pictures of Adila and Thaddeus together on their respective Facebook profiles, her occasional mention of Thad and her son’s surname being “Metz” confirms that they are spouses.
According to Hassim’s Facebook, she mentioned that her younger son, Jamil, was eight years old in July 2016. So, as of 2024, Jamil is 16 now.
Husband Thaddeus Metz Is A Professor
Thaddeus Metz has been working as a professor (Department of Philosophy) at the University of Pretoria since September 2020. Previously, he had 11 years at the University of Johannesburg, from 2009 to 2020.
Moreover, he was an assistant professor at the University of Missouri – St. Louis (1997-2004), and a visiting lecturer at UCLA (1995-96).
Metz obtained his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Cornell University in 1997. In 1999, he visited South Africa and relocated there in 2004, initially lecturing at Wits and later UJ.
Probably, it was during his time in South Africa that he met his advocate wife, Adila Hassim.
Who Is Adila Hassim? South Africa vs. Israel Case
Hassim is a South African-based lawyer who represented her native country in the South Africa vs Israel case, which she condemned as “acts of genocide” during her argument in the International Court of Justice.
She was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to legally represent South Africa.
On January 11, 2024, during her opening argument, she stated, “South Africa contends that Israel has transgressed Article II of the convention, by actions which show a systematic pattern of conduct from which genocide can be inferred.”
As reported, following October 7, 2023, Israel deployed 6,000 bombs per week, which took the lives of an unparalleled and unprecedented number of civilians.
Adila pointed out the fact that those acts to question humanity have left 60,000 Palestinians wounded and maimed. Israel’s bombing (via air, land, and sea.) in Gaza damaged or destroyed an estimated 350,000 Palestinian homes, leaving at least half a million Palestinians with no home to return to.
Along with displacement, civilians in Gaza are at immediate risk of death by starvation, dehydration, and disease.
Notable Achievements And Recognition
Adila Hassim is currently a Senior Counsel at Thulamela Chambers. Moreover, she is the co-founder of Section 27, a non-profit legal center founded in 2010. It advocates for access to health services and basic education.
In 2012, she became one of the founding members of Corruption Watch, a South African anti-corruption non-profit organization.
She started as a Constitutional Court law clerk to Pius Langa and Edwin Cameron, and has since been involved in many notable cases:
- 1997 Soobramoney v Minister of Health case
- Limpopo Textbooks Case
- 2015 Silicosis class action lawsuit
Moreover, she has co-edited Health & Democracy: A Guide to Human Rights and Health Law and Policy in Post-apartheid South Africa (2007) and The National Health Act: A Guide (2008).
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