(30 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Hague, Netherlands – 30 April 2024
1. Nicaragua’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Carlos José Argüello Gómez, arriving at courtroom
2. Nicaragua name plate
3. Various of head of Germany’s legal team, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen arriving
4. Germany name plate
5. Gómez
6. Von Uslar-Gleichen
7. Pan from Gómez to von Uslar-Gleichen
8. Wide of the courtroom
9. Various of judges arriving
STORYLINE:
The top U.N. court rejected on Tuesday a request by Nicaragua to order Germany to halt military and other aid to Israel and renew funding to the U.N. aid agency in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice said that legal conditions for making such an order weren’t met and rejected the request in a 15-1 vote.
Germany argued at hearings in the case that it has barely exported any weapons to Israel since the offensive against Gaza started following the deadly incursion into southern Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.
Nicaragua, a longstanding ally of the Palestinians, alleges that Germany is enabling genocide by sending arms and other support to Israel. Tuesday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice is only about preliminary orders in the case that will likely take years to resolve. Germany rejects the allegations.
Israel, which isn’t a party to the case between Nicaragua and Germany, strongly denies that its assault on Gaza amounts to acts of genocide, and insists that it’s acting in self-defence.
Nicaragua’s case is the latest legal bid by a country with historic ties to the Palestinian people to stop Israel’s offensive.
Late last year, South Africa accused Israel of genocide at the court. The cases come as Israel’s allies face growing calls to stop supplying it with weapons, and as some, including Germany, have grown more critical of the war.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.
At hearings early this month, Nicaragua’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Carlos José Argüello Gómez, told the 16-judge panel that "Germany is failing to honor its own obligation to prevent genocide or to ensure respect of international humanitarian law."
Nicaragua also wants Germany to reinstate direct funding to the U.N. aid agency in Gaza.
The head of Germany’s legal team, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, said that Nicaragua’s claims "have no basis in fact or law."
Israel strongly denies that its assault on Gaza amounts to genocidal acts, saying it’s acting in self-defence after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people.
Since Israel launched its offensive, more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.
Germany has been a staunch supporter of Israel for decades.
Berlin, however, has gradually shifted its tone as civilian casualties in Gaza have soared, becoming increasingly critical of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and speaking out against a ground offensive in Rafah.
AP video shot by Ahmad Seir Nassiri
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