Nicaragua has brought Germany before the International Court of Justice on charges of facilitating genocide in Gaza. Germany has rebuked the claims.Germany on Tuesday blamed Nicaragua for having a "one-sided" view of the Israel-Hamas war.

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Berlin was defending itself at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against charges brought by Nicaragua that its support for Israel enables genocide and breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

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The head of Germany's legal team, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen said Nicaragua's case ignores "facts and the law."

She cited the continuous humanitarian support for civilians.

She also said, "unlike Nicaragua Germany is not blind to the fact that Hamas also has obligations under international humanitarian law."

Nicaragua has asked the UN's highest court, also known as the World Court, to halt German military arms exports to Israel and reverse its decision to stop funding the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.

It follows a separate case in January when the court ordered Israel to take "every possible measure" to avoid genocidal acts in its war against Palestinian militants in Gaza, after South Africa accused Israel of genocide.

Israel has denied that its operation in Gaza amounts to genocidal acts, saying it is acting in self-defense after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 and killed more than 1,200 people, including around 800 civilians.

Nicaragua argues risk of genocide is clear

On Monday, Nicaragua argued that Germany is in breach of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.

More than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed over the last six months in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-led territory. Various UN and other humanitarian aid agencies have warned Gaza is on the brink of famine.

"There can be no question that Germany [...] was well aware, and is well aware, of at least the serious risk of genocide being committed," Nicaragua's ambassador Carlos Jose Arguello Gomez told the court.

Nicaragua asked the ICJ to decide "provisional measures" to order Germany to "immediately suspend its aid to Israel, in particular, its military assistance including military equipment in so far as this aid may be used in the violation of the Genocide Convention" and international law.

It also wants the court to order Germany to resume funding to UNRWA in Gaza.

The head of Germany's legal team, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, called Nicaragua's case "grossly biased" and denied the country was breaching international law.

The court will likely take weeks to deliver its preliminary decision, and the bigger case could take years to finalize.

Germany is a major supplier of arms to Israel

Germany has been one of Israel's staunchest allies in the wake of the Hamas attacks.

"Our own history, our responsibility arising from the Holocaust, makes it a perpetual task for us to stand up for the security of the state of Israel," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said days after the attack.

But Berlin has gradually shifted its tone over the last six months, becoming increasingly critical of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and speaking out against a ground offensive in Rafah.

Nicaragua pointed out that Berlin remains one of the major arms exporters to Israel.

According to Economy Ministry data, in 2023, Germany exported €326.5 million ($353.70 million) in military equipment and weapons to Israel.

Germany is the second-largest supplier of arms to Israel after the US, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

lo/ab (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 09, 2024 02:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).