The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has heard Nicaragua’s oral argument seeking an indication of Provisional Measures in their case against Germany, in which they allege the nation is complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Nicaragua instituted a case against Germany and made the request for Provisional Measures on 1 March, 2024.
Germany is Israel’s second largest foreign arms supplier (supplying roughly 30%) and halted funding to UNRWA after Israel claimed, without providing evidence, UN agency staff were involved in an attack by Palestinian resistance fighters on 7 October, 2023.
Nicaragua says Germany is failing to fulfil it’s responsibilities under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The ICJ previously Ordered Provisional Measures against Israel in a case (instituted by South Africa) on 26 January, 2024 ruling a “plausible genocide” was occurring in Gaza and reaffirmed those Orders and added to them on 28 March, 2024.
Nicaragua argues that by providing political, financial and military support to Israel and by defunding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide”.
ICJ press release 1 March, 2024
In their oral argument, Nicaragua told the court:
Nicaragua is acting not only on it’s own behalf on the basis of the rights and obligations conferred by the peremptory norms invoked, but also on behalf of the Palestinian people that is being subjected to one of the most destructive military actions in modern history.
Nicaragua to ICJ