Responding to Nicaragua's suit at UN's top court, German diplomat defends Berlin's arms exports to Israel, says they are delivered after detailed scrutiny
Germany on Tuesday defended its political and military support to Israel's war in Gaza, and rejected Nicaragua's claim that it was facilitating “genocide” against Palestinians.
Addressing the UN's highest court in The Hague, German diplomat Tania von Uslar-Gleichen argued that Nicaragua's case against Germany has taken a “one-sided” view of the conflict.
“It fails to properly appreciate both the facts and the law in this situation. Germany firmly rejects Nicaragua's accusations,” she said, and claimed that Berlin is acting in line with international law, while providing assistance to Israel.
Presenting her country's defense before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Uslar-Gleichen argued that Berlin's arms exports to Israel were appropriate, and delivered after detailed scrutiny.
“Germany only supplies arms on the basis of detailed scrutiny, the scrutiny that not only respects but far exceeds the requirements of international law,” she said, adding that Berlin is taking into account “security threats faced by Israel” while approving weapons exports.
Berlin approved €326.5 million ($354 million) worth of weapons exports to Israel in 2023, the majority of which were approved after Oct. 7, 2023, a tenfold increase compared to 2022.
Nicaragua initiated proceedings against Germany at the ICJ, accusing Berlin of facilitating “genocide” in Gaza by providing political and military support to Israel. It requested the court to order Germany to stop its arms exports to Israel, and reverse its decision to suspend the funding of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.
Berlin remains one of the strongest supporters of Israel's military offensive in Gaza, despite growing public pressure. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly said Germany bears special responsibility for Israel because of its Nazi history.
Israel has waged a military offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.
Over 33,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and nearly 76,000 injured besides mass destruction and displacement.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.
