By: Marya Al Khoury
Journal of Global Rights and Organizations, Associate Articles Editor
THE HAGUE, The Netherlands – On March 1, 2024, the Republic of Nicaragua filed an Application commencing proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the Federal Republic of Germany regarding Germany’s aid and support of Israel.
 |
In its Application, Nicaragua alleges that, by providing aid to Israel and defunding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees, “Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide and, in any case has failed in its obligations to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide.” Such obligations, Nicaragua argues, stem from being a member to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Geneva Convention of 1949, and the basic rights afforded by general international and humanitarian law. Nicaragua claims that, by providing, political, financial, and military support to Israel, Germany is allegedly contributing the death, displacement, and starvation of Palestinians.
Though the ICJ has yet to render a determination on whether genocide has occurred, Nicaragua claims that there is, at the very least, a recognizable risk of genocide against the Palestinian population. Nicaragua’s claim against Germany is along a similar vein as South Africa’s case against Israel. Nicaragua, much like South Africa, is pursuing urgent provisional measures to be released by the Court while they await adjudication of the claim’s merits.
The International Court of Justice has yet to set a date for this hearing. However, the ICJ usually sets hearing dates for emergency provisional measures within weeks of filing the case, and so, the Court is expected to set a date in the near future.
For further information, please see:
CTV News – Nicaragua files case at World Court against Germany for aiding Israel – 1 Mar. 2024.
Reuters – Nicaragua files case at World Court against Germany for aiding Israel – 1 Mar. 2024.
