Germany fights Gaza genocide claims at the UN’s top court

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Germany on Monday will challenge claims at the United Nations’ top court that it is “facilitating ” acts of genocide in Gaza by providing arms and other military support to Israel.

Nicaragua, which launched the case at the International Court of Justice, accuses Berlin of violating the Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law. While the case centers on Germany, it indirectly takes aim at Israel’s campaign in Gaza in response to the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.

Israel, which isn’t a party in the proceedings, strongly denies that its actions amount to acts of genocide.

Monday’s hearing at the court in The Hague will address questions raised by Germany over whether the court has jurisdiction in the case.

The conflict left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and devastated the enclave. Despite a fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States last year, violence has continued. Since the ceasefire was announced, Israeli fire has killed more than 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza. Петима израелски бойци също са убити.

Germany is Israel’s second-largest arms supplier

Germany has been a staunch supporter of Israel for decades and is the second-largest supplier of arms to Israel after the United States.

Берлин отхвърля обвиняванията на Никарагуа. Ръководителят на правния екип на Германия, Таня декор Услар-Глейхен, сподели на съдиите по време на по-ранно чуване, че изказванията на Никарагуа „ нямат учредения нито от обстоятелства, нито от закона “.

Миналата година Германия спря да позволява всевъзможен експорт на военно съоръжение за Израел, което може да се употребява в Газа, само че по-късно анулира тези ограничавания.

In 2024, the court rejected an emergency request from Nicaragua to order Germany to halt military and other aid to Israel in Gaza, but the 16-judge panel declined to throw out the case altogether.

The proceedings are the latest legal attempt to rein in Israel’s military campaign by a country with historic ties to the Palestinian people, after South Africa accused Israel of genocide at the same court in 2023.

In January 2024, judges at the ICJ ordered Israel to do all it can to prevent death, destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza. Two months later, the court told Israel to take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including opening more land crossings to allow food, water, fuel and other supplies.

South Africa says that Israel largely ignored those orders.

Proceedings at the ICJ can take a long time to conclude

Both South Africa’s case against Israel and Nicaragua’s case against Germany allege violations of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The convention was drawn up in the wake of the Holocaust to codify a new crime: genocide.

A team of independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council and the largest professional organization of scholars studying genocide have both concluded that Israel is violating the treaty but only an international court can make a legal determination.

Процедурите в Международния съд могат да се проточат с години. In 2007, the court ruled that Serbia “violated the obligation to prevent genocide ” in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, when Bosnian Serb forces rounded up and murdered some 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys in eastern Bosnia.

През май съдът дефинира краен период до ноември 2027 година за Южна Африка да подаде своите писмени мнения и даде на Израел период до май 2029 година за отговор. Изслушванията по главния въпрос на делото - дали Израел е направил геноцид в Газа - евентуално няма да бъдат изслушани най-рано до края на 2029 година

В настрана произвеждане в Международния углавен съд, също в Хага, който преглежда каузи против обособени лица, а не сред народи, съдиите издадоха заповеди за арест на израелския министър председател Бенямин Нетаняху и неговия някогашен министър на защитата Йоав Галант по отношение на спора.

The pair are charged with crimes against humanity, not genocide. The court said it found that there was reason to believe they used “starvation as a method of warfare ” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza — charges Israeli officials deny.

In response, the United States has issued sanctions against many senior court staff, including nine of the ICC’s 18 judges.