Nicaragua informed the United Nations' top court on Tuesday that Germany is in breach of the Genocide Convention by supplying weapons to Israel that have been used in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) center on Germany's alleged role in "facilitating" acts of genocide.
Germany has denied the allegations. The case indirectly targets Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which was launched in response to the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel, which is not a party to these proceedings, has strongly denied that its actions constitute genocide.
The current hearings are focused on establishing the court's jurisdiction over the matter. This legal action by Nicaragua follows a similar case brought by South Africa against Israel at the same court in 2023, accusing Israel of genocide.
Nicaragua's legal team, led by Carlos José Argüello Gómez, argued that Germany, given its extensive political, commercial, and military ties with Israel, could not have been unaware of the significant risk that acts amounting to genocide were being committed by Israel. Germany is the second-largest supplier of arms to Israel, trailing only the United States.
Germany's legal representative, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, stated on Monday that the case was improperly filed and should be dismissed. She contended that Nicaragua's actions indicated a lack of intent to engage with Germany on the allegations, instead aiming solely to bring Germany before the court. Typically, countries are expected to attempt dispute resolution before escalating to the ICJ.
Lawyers for Nicaragua countered this assertion, presenting documents sent to the German foreign ministry and press releases as evidence of their attempts to address the dispute. A ruling on the court's jurisdiction is anticipated later this year. Should the case proceed, the full proceedings could span several years.