In response to a request from Nicaragua, the International Court of Justice declined to order Germany to cease providing arms and assistance to Israel.
Nicaragua filed the lawsuit, claiming that Germany is failing to stop potential genocide against Palestinians in Israel’s conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip by arming and otherwise supporting Israel.
The ICJ judges ruled in a preliminary finding on Tuesday, voting 15-1, that the grounds for issuing such an order were not met based on the legal arguments put out.
“Nobody is above the law,” the German Foreign Ministry said in response to the ruling on social media. This directs our behavior. We applaud the International Court of Justice’s ruling from today.”
It went on, “Germany is not involved in the Middle East conflict—quite the opposite. We are pursuing a two-state solution day and night. The largest source of humanitarian help going to the Palestinians is us.”
Although it is not a party to the lawsuit, Israel has categorically denied carrying out acts of genocide in Gaza.
Germany is second in the United States among Israel’s suppliers of military gear, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, the leader of Germany’s legal team, stated in the beginning of April that Nicaragua’s case disregarded “facts and the law.”
Germany, in contrast to Nicaragua, is aware that Hamas is obligated by international humanitarian law,” the speaker stated.
At the case’s opening, Carlos José Argüello Gómez, Nicaragua’s ambassador to the Netherlands, stated, “Germany is failing to honor its own obligation to prevent genocide or to ensure respect of international humanitarian law.”
Germany asked for the ICJ to dismiss the case on the grounds that it was without jurisdiction. Nonetheless, the court decided to let the case to proceed, stating in its ruling on Tuesday that it “remains deeply concerned about the catastrophic living conditions of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”