Key facts
- Germany is defending itself at the International Court of Justice against claims that it is facilitating genocide in Gaza.
- Nicaragua brought the case, alleging Germany's arms and military support to Israel violates the Genocide Convention.
- Germany denies the allegations and is questioning the court's jurisdiction.
- Germany resumed arms exports to Israel after a brief suspension in 2025.
- The ICJ previously found it plausible that Israel violated rights under the Genocide Convention in Gaza.
Germany has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to dismiss a case brought by Nicaragua that accuses Berlin of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention through its supply of arms to Israel. Germany's legal adviser, Julia Monar, argued that Nicaragua had not followed proper procedures and that much of the claim falls outside the court's jurisdiction under the treaty.
Berlin had temporarily suspended arms exports to Israel for a few months in 2025 but has since resumed them. Nicaragua's case is linked to South Africa's ongoing accusation against Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a case where the ICJ previously ruled it was plausible Israel had violated some rights under the convention. Israel denies the genocide allegations, stating its military actions are in response to Hamas's October 2023 attack.
Nicaragua, which severed diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024 over the war in Gaza, will present its arguments for the case to proceed. A ruling on Germany's jurisdictional objection is anticipated later this year, with substantive hearings on the core genocide question not expected until late 2029 at the earliest.