Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Year : 2, Issue : 15
Germany faces charges from Nicaragua at the top UN court on Monday that it is “facilitating the commission of genocide” against Palestinians with its military and political support for Israel.
Nicaragua has hauled Germany before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), demanding judges impose emergency measures to stop Berlin providing Israel with weapons and other assistance.
Germany has hit back at the allegations, with Sebastian Fischer, spokesman for the German foreign ministry, telling reporters ahead of the hearings: “We reject the allegations from Nicaragua.”
Nicaragua will set out its case on Monday, with Germany due to respond the following day.
In a 43-page submission to the court, Nicaragua argues that Germany is in breach of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, set up in the wake of the Holocaust.
“By sending military equipment and now defunding UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees)… Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide,” says the submission.
Nicaragua asked the ICJ to decide “provisional measures” — emergency orders imposed while the court considers the broader case.
Appropriate reaction
The ICJ was set up to rule in disputes between nations and has become a key player in the war between Israel and Hamas militants that erupted after the October 7 attacks.
In a separate case, South Africa has accused Israel of perpetrating genocide in the Gaza Strip, charges Israel vehemently denies.
In that case, the court ordered Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocidal acts and recently toughened its stance, ordering additional measures obliging Israel to step up access to humanitarian aid.
The court’s rulings are binding but it lacks an enforcement mechanism — for example it has ordered Russia to stop its invasion of Ukraine, to no avail. Nicaragua has requested five provisional measures, including that Germany “immediately suspend its aid to Israel, in particular its military assistance including military equipment.” It also calls on the court to order Germany to “reverse its decision to suspend the funding of UNRWA.”
On Friday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that Israel had “no more excuse” to delay aid getting into Gaza.
Source: AFP
