On Monday, April 8, the proceedings against Germany, instituted by Nicaragua, began in the International Court of Justice.
In a filing made on March 1, Nicaragua accuses Germany of “facilitating of the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide.”
Israel has long been accused of committing acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
On March 26, a report presented at the United Nations Human Rights Council argued that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
“Specifically, Israel has committed three acts of genocide with the requisite intent: causing seriously serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part, and imposing measures intended to prevent birth within the group,” said Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, in her.
“This Has Got to Stop”
Nicaragua argues that Germany is violating multiple conventions and protocols, including the Geneva Convetions of 1949, by providing political, financial, and military support to Israel as well as by defunding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In the oral argument on Monday, an Agent of Nicaragua alleged that Germany is ignoring its obligations in its support of Israel and that “this has got to stop.”
“Highest German officials have recognized that the situation in Gaza raises doubts about the respect of elementary rules of international law and that these questions need to be addressed,” stated counsel to Nicaragua, Daniel Müller. “Yet, while we speak, the export of German weapons and military equipment to Israel, likely to be used for committing these grave violations of international law, is continuing.”
Nicaragua is furthermore requesting the International Court of Justice to indicate five provisional measures, including Germany suspending its aid to Israel and reinstating its funding of UNRWA.
The public hearings of the proceedings is continuing on Tuesday April 9.