The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held the first hearing in a lawsuit filed by Nicaragua against Germany, accusing of facilitating genocide of Palestinians during the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for six months
The court will hold public hearings on Monday, April 8, and Tuesday, April 9 in The Hague, Netherlands, regarding the request for temporary measures submitted by Nicaragua against Germany on March 1.
At the session, Nicaragua began presenting its 43-page lawsuit, while on Tuesday Germany is expected to respond before the court.
Nicaragua said in the lawsuit that Germany is violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide signed in 1948, in the wake of the “Nazi Holocaust.”
It continued, “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide by sending military equipment (to Israel) and stopping funding for the United Nations Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees.”
Nicaragua pointed out in the lawsuit that “it is understandable” that Germany would support an “appropriate response” by its ally Israel to the October attacks launched by Hamas.
It added, “But this cannot be a justification for taking action in a manner that violates international law.”
Nicaragua asked the ICJ to decide to impose “interim measures,” which are emergency orders imposed while the court considers the case more broadly.
Nicaragua stressed in the lawsuit that the issuance of such a decision by the court is “necessary and urgent” given that the lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at stake.
On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed a complaint with the ICJ, saying that Israel was violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide signed in 1948 following the Holocaust during World War II.
On January 26, ICJ ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and direct incitement to it, as it rejected the Israeli request to dismiss the lawsuit brought by South Africa.
It is noteworthy that the ICJ was established to issue rulings on disputes between countries and has become a major player in the war between Israel and Hamas that broke out on October 7, 2023. Although the court’s decisions are binding, it does not have a mechanism to enforce their application.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have been waging a devastating war on Gaza, leaving more than 33,300 deaths and 75,000 injured, causing massive infrastructure destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
Israel also continues the war despite the provisional measures issued by the ICJ, as well as despite the UN Security Council (UNSC) later issuing an immediate ceasefire resolution.
