Nicaragua has brought Germany before the International Court of Justice on charges of facilitating genocide in Gaza. Germany has rebuked the claims.
Germany on Tuesday blamed Nicaragua for having a “one-sided” view of the Israel-Hamas war.
Berlin was defending itself at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against charges brought by Nicaragua that its support for Israel enables genocide and breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza.
The head of Germany’s legal team, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen said Nicaragua’s case ignores “facts and the law.”
She cited the continuous humanitarian support for civilians.
She also said, “unlike Nicaragua Germany is not blind to the fact that Hamas also has obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Nicaragua has asked the UN’s highest court, also known as the World Court, to halt German military arms exports to Israel and reverse its decision to stop funding the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.
It follows a separate case in January when the court ordered Israel to take “every possible measure” to avoid genocidal acts in its war against Palestinian militants in Gaza, after South Africa accused Israel of genocide.
Israel has denied that its operation in Gaza amounts to genocidal acts, saying it is acting in self-defense after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 and killed more than 1,200 people, including around 800 civilians.
Nicaragua argues risk of genocide is clear
On Monday, Nicaragua argued that Germany is in breach of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.
More than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed over the last six months in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-led territory. Various UN and other humanitarian aid agencies have warned Gaza is on the brink of famine.
“There can be no question that Germany […] was well aware, and is well aware, of at least the serious risk of genocide being committed,” Nicaragua’s ambassador Carlos Jose Arguello Gomez told the court.
Source: Dw
