The International Court of Justice will meet again on April 8 and 9 for hearings on the Israeli genocide in Gaza. This time, the judges in The Hague will hear arguments in Nicaragua’s case against Germany. Germany will pay a high price for its unwavering support of Israel during the genocide in Gaza. Germany was previously Israel’s legal representative in the dock; yet Nicaragua’s legal maneuvers have made Germany a co-defendant.
Deutschlands Position
Managua said that Germany’s support of Israel and the withdrawal of UNRWA funding enabled Israel to carry out the genocide in Gaza. It alleges that Germany failed to meet its obligation under the 1948 Genocide Convention to take all appropriate precautions to prevent genocide. As a result, it has asked the court to impose immediate sanctions that would force Berlin to reverse its decision to stop supporting UNRWA and end military support for Israel. Due to the “moral guilt” arising from the “legacy of the Holocaust,” Berlin has historically been one of Tel Aviv’s most vocal supporters internationally. As part of this support, Berlin politically endorses Israel’s crimes against humanity and violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories, describing them as “Israel’s struggle for existence.” This support is felt both in German public opinion and internationally.
Legal arguments
Using tactics akin to “anti-Semitic McCarthyism,” Berlin has long suppressed internal criticism of Israel. Amazingly, since the beginning of the October 7 trial, the German government has intimidated actors and masses who criticize its policy of unconditional support for Israel by imposing harsh sanctions against them with the help of pro-Israel civil society structures and mainstream media organizations. The country’s Muslim minority has received special attention. Statements criticizing Israel’s armed actions or expressing its support for the Palestinian people have been misinterpreted as anti-Semitic sentiments, leading to arbitrary arrests and punitive measures. Muslims living in Germany are under pressure to “prove” to the German public that they are not anti-Semitic, as the belief that they may hold anti-Semitic views is becoming increasingly widespread.
Diplomatic consequences
Moreover, beyond domestic politics, Germany is actively involved in international diplomacy to absolve Israel of its crimes committed on Palestinian territory. In fact, Olaf Scholz was the first foreign head of state to visit Israel after the October 7 attacks to deliver words of unity and support. In a speech to the German Bundestag, Scholz made clear where his country stands: “Germany stands in one place, and that is on Israel’s side.” Tel Aviv was grateful for Germany’s swift and unwavering support. “Germany has become Israel’s most important ally in Europe through its unwavering and unconditional support since October 7,” said Israel’s Ambassador to Berlin, Ron Prosor, in a statement. The attempts by Olaf Scholz and other cabinet members to counter calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and to persuade public opinion abroad to view Israeli attacks as legitimate acts of “self-defense” contribute to the impunity of crimes against Palestinian civilians and give Israel permission to commit these crimes indefinitely. Germany has demonstrated its military support for Tel Aviv in addition to its political support.
Globale Reaktion
Germany is one of Israel’s main arms suppliers, along with the United States, and a key ally. Germany provides the Israeli army with 24 percent of its weapons and military equipment. According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Germany sold weapons and military equipment worth 326.5 million euros to Israel in 2023. In addition, in the first weeks after the start of Israel’s attack on Gaza, the Berlin administration approved 185 additional export license applications for Israeli arms deliveries. Germany, known for always defending human rights and often accusing other countries of not respecting them, is increasingly coming under international criticism for its unconditional support for Israel and its contradictory stance on civilian deaths in Gaza. Due to this immoral stance, Berlin is facing increasing criticism and worldwide condemnation.
Abschluss
Finally, Nicaragua claims that Germany violated the 1948 Genocide Convention by failing to stop the genocide of the Palestinian people and by supporting Israel’s ongoing military war in Gaza with political, financial and military support. To support its claim, Nicaragua said: “Germany facilitates the commission of genocide by depriving UNRWA of the resources that provide essential support to the civilian population.” Every signatory country is required under the Genocide Convention to take all necessary measures to prevent genocide. This suggests that nations must not only not commit genocide, but also take all necessary precautions to prevent it.
