Germany rejects Nicaragua charges on Gaza genocide as groundless
Germany has categorically rejected legal action brought by Nicaragua that it is facilitating genocide in providing support to Israel in the war in the Gaza Strip.
"These allegations are completely without legal or factual foundation," Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, head of the German delegation to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said in The Hague on Tuesday.
Von Uslar-Gleichen said that Germany was neither in violation of the genocide convention nor of humanitarian international law. "Germany's actions in this conflict are firmly rooted in international law," she said.
In its application to the ICJ on March 1, Nicaragua argued that by providing political, financial and military support to Israel and by defunding the UN's Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, "Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide."
Germany has accused Nicaragua of making false assertions, insisting that it supplies largely general armaments and not weapons that can be used in combat. Since October 2023, only four licences for the export of weapons have been issued concerning ammunition for training purposes and a submarine, it says.
Following the last day of oral argument on Tuesday, the 16 judges will consider Nicaragua's urgent application. Nicaragua is calling for an immediate halt to arms deliveries to Israel and a resumption of contributions to UNRWA.
The ICJ is expected to issue an initial ruling within a fortnight.
Addressing the court, Von Uslar-Gleichen said Germany had confirmed Israel's right to self-defence following the October 7 attacks mounted from the Gaza Strip by Hamas and other extremist organizations. Germany was also acting to secure the rights and protection of the area's civilian population.
