What happened:

  • Nicaragua has filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Germany, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention by continuing to supply Israel with weapons and defunding UNRWA, thereby facilitating the commission of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
  • Germany has rejected the allegations, stating that it has violated neither the Genocide Convention nor international humanitarian law, and will demonstrate this before the ICJ.
  • Nicaragua has asked the ICJ to order Germany to immediately suspend its aid to Israel, including military assistance, as it may be used in the violation of the Genocide Convention.

What is Arab media saying:

  • The ICJ has had a significant presence in the war on Gaza, with South Africa previously accusing Israel of committing genocide in a separate case before the court, but the court lacks a mechanism to enforce their binding decisions. [aljazeera.net]
  • Nicaragua’s lawsuit claims that Germany is violating the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by providing military and political support to Israel, which allegedly facilitates the commission of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. [aljazeera.net, hurriyetdailynews.com]

What is International media saying:

  • The case raises new questions about the liability of countries that have supplied weapons to Israel for the war in Gaza, with lawyers saying that Germany is an easier target for a suit than the United States. [nytimes.com]
  • The case in The Hague is likely to further galvanize opposition to any support for Israel, according to a professor of law and international peace studies. [apnews.com]
  • The ICJ has no means of enforcing its decisions, but it can add to political and public pressure on a government, and Germany’s support for Israel is rooted in its postwar identity and the concept of “reason of state,” which could be problematic. [dw.com]

What is Israeli media saying:

  • The relationship between Nicaragua and Israel has been strained for decades, with Nicaragua becoming one of the most vocal critics of Israeli settlements and actions in Gaza under the leadership of President Daniel Ortega. [mako.co.il]
  • Past experience shows that the type of intervention Nicaragua is seeking is rarely accepted by the International Court of Justice. [israelhayom.co.il]
  • Additional countries have expressed a desire to intervene in the lawsuit but have refrained from doing so officially. [israelhayom.co.il]

Media Sources:

  • alquds.co.uk
  • aljazeera.com
  • aljazeera.net
  • tasnimnews.com
  • nytimes.com
  • dw.com
  • apnews.com
  • hurriyetdailynews.com
  • thehindu.com
  • timesofisrael.com
  • mako.co.il
  • israelhayom.co.il
  • now14.co.il

Links:

  • https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/world/middleeast/nicaragua-germany-world-court-israel-arms.html
  • https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-nicaragua-germany-genocide-court-d65cef8f04b8701458db967c6b03b453
  • https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2024/4/8/%D8%A3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A9
  • https://alghad.com/story/1674848
  • https://www.dw.com/en/germany-faces-top-un-court-over-gaza-genocide-claim/a-68723953
  • https://www.dw.com/en/germany-faces-top-un-court-over-gaza-genocide-claims/a-68723953
  • https://www.alquds.co.uk/ألمانيا-تمثل-أمام-محكمة-العدل-الدولية/
  • https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/8/icj-to-hear-nicaragua-case-against-germany-for-facilitating-gaza-genocide
  • https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/germany-faces-gaza-genocide-case-at-top-un-court-192255
  • https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/top-un-court-to-hear-case-accusing-germany-of-facilitating-israels-gaza-conflict/article68042252.ece
  • https://www.tasnimnews.com/ar/news/2024/04/08/3065363/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A3-%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B9%D9%88%D9%89-%D8%B6%D8%AF-%D8%A3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%87%DB%8C%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9
  • https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/un-court-opens-hearings-in-case-accusing-germany-of-facilitating-gaza-genocide/
  • https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/dailynews/2024-04-08/ty-article-live/0000018e-ba66-d207-abaf-be6e2c5b0000?liveBlogItemId=1501192491#1501192491
  • https://mako.co.il/travel-world/Article-6ecc79e43f30e81027.htm
  • https://www.now14.co.il/%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%94%D7%A1%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%9A-%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%AA%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%9B%D7%AA/
  • https://www.israelhayom.co.il/news/law/article/15241286