Nicaragua accusations of facilitating Gaza genocide unfounded: Berlin
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The German Foreign Ministry says Germany rejected the accusations of Berlin assisting genocide in the Gaza Strip.
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A man holds a Palestinian flag during the inauguration of Gaza Street in support of the Palestinian people, in the historic center of Managua, Nicaragua on January 30, 2024. (Oswaldo Rivas/AFP)
Berlin considers Nicaragua's lawsuit against Germany with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing it of complicity in genocide in Gaza unjustified and rejects the accusation, German cabinet spokesman Wolfgang Buechner said on Monday.
"We have taken note of Nicaragua's filing a lawsuit with the international court against the Federal Republic of Germany. The federal government will present its position. We consider these accusations unjustified," Buechner said at a cabinet briefing, adding that Germany would respond more thoroughly to the accusations during the trial.
On his part, German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christian Wagner said that Germany rejected the accusations of Berlin assisting genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Last Saturday, Nicaraguan media reported that the country had filed a lawsuit against Germany with the ICJ over its violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Nicaragua pointed to Germany's suspending support for the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA and also providing financial, political, and military assistance to "Israel", while being aware that it would be used to violate international law and "facilitate genocide".
In early February, the Nicaraguan government started proceedings to take Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada to the ICJ for their complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza by providing the Israeli occupation with weapons and means.
The executive authority in Nicaragua published an official statement in which it revealed that it warned the governments of said Western powers that they might be jointly complicit in the "flagrant and systemic violations" of the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip.
Nicaragua urged the four states to immediately cease the provision of arms, munitions, and technologies to "Israel" because it might use them to facilitate or commit violations of the Genocide Convention in Gaza.
Nicaragua asked the court to take immediate interim action against Germany before the issue was thoroughly investigated by judges.
The filing of the complaint comes after the ICJ stated on January 26 that "Israel" must do all that is possible to avoid genocidal crimes in Gaza and take "immediate" measures to allow humanitarian assistance.
That interim injunction was issued as the court prepares to hear the main case filed by South Africa in December, accusing "Israel" of committing genocide in Gaza.
