THE HAGUE, Netherlands: Germany has urged the United Nations’ top court to dismiss a genocide case brought by Nicaragua over Berlin’s military support and arms supplies to Israel, arguing that the Central American country failed to follow proper diplomatic and legal procedures before initiating the proceedings.
Nicaragua accuses Germany of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law by allegedly facilitating acts of genocide in Gaza through the provision of weapons and other military assistance to Israel.
Addressing judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on Monday, Germany’s lead lawyer Julia Monar argued that Nicaragua had not made a genuine effort to resolve the dispute before bringing the case to court. She said Nicaragua appeared more interested in putting Germany before the court than in hearing Berlin’s position on the allegations.
Germany’s legal team also challenged the manner in which Nicaragua formally notified Berlin about the proceedings. Lawyer Antonios Tzanakopoulos said the notification was sent from a Yahoo email address to a general government inbox rather than through established diplomatic channels. He further argued that Germany was given less than a month to respond before Nicaragua proceeded with the case.
The case indirectly places international scrutiny on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel, which is not a party to the proceedings against Germany, strongly rejects allegations that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide and maintains that its military campaign is aimed at Hamas.
The proceedings at the ICJ are being closely watched because they could have broader implications for the legal responsibilities of countries that provide weapons and military assistance to states involved in armed conflicts. The court must first consider Germany’s objections to the admissibility and jurisdiction of Nicaragua’s case before determining whether the substantive allegations can proceed.
Germany Urges UN Court to Dismiss Nicaragua’s Genocide Case Over Israel Arms
