By Stephanie van den Berg
THE HAGUE, Sept 7 (Reuters) – Germany asked the International Court of Justice on Monday to throw out a case brought by Nicaragua which accuses Berlin of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention because it supplies arms to Israel.
Berlin suspended weapons exports to Israel for a few months in 2025 but they have since resumed. A U.S.-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 halted large-scale fighting that had devastated Gaza, but it has not ended Israeli strikes.
Nicaragua and Germany are both signatories of the Genocide Convention which includes an obligation on states to act to prevent possible genocides – but it is unusual for the court to hear cases where neither party is directly involved in the conflict at the heart of it.
Israel rejects genocide allegations as politically motivated and says its military campaign has targeted the militant group Hamas, whose attack on Israel triggered the war in October 2023.
ARGUMENT OVER JURISDICTION
Nicaragua’s claim builds on the case South Africa brought against Israel for allegedly committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
In an interim ruling in 2024, the ICJ said it was plausible Israel violated some rights guaranteed under the Genocide Convention during its assault on Gaza.
Israel opposes that case and says it respects international law and has a right to defend itself. The main genocide case is not expected to be heard in full until late 2029.
Germany told the ICJ, also known as the World Court, on Monday that Nicaragua had not taken the proper steps before turning to the court and that much of the claim falls outside the jurisdiction it has under the genocide treaty.
“Germany respectfully requests the court to reject Nicaragua’s claims,” Julia Monar, legal adviser of the German foreign ministry, told the judges.
Nicaragua, which broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 2024 over the war in Gaza, will have a chance on Tuesday to argue why the case should move forward.
A ruling on Germany’s objection to jurisdiction is expected later this year. Even if the case can continue, it is expected to take years before a final ruling on the merits.
The ICJ is the United Nations’ top court which deals with disputes between states and alleged violations of numerous international treaties. Its rulings are final and without appeal.
(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Alison Williams)
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