Germany has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to dismiss a case brought by Nicaragua accusing Berlin of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention by supplying weapons to Israel.
Germany temporarily suspended some arms exports to Israel in 2025 but later resumed them. Nicaragua argues that Germany’s continued military support makes it complicit in alleged violations of the Genocide Convention in Gaza.
Germany’s legal adviser, Julia Monar, told judges on Monday that Nicaragua had not followed the proper procedures before bringing the case and that parts of its claim fall outside the ICJ’s jurisdiction under the genocide treaty.
“Germany respectfully requests the court to reject Nicaragua’s claims,” Monar said.
Nicaragua will present its arguments on Tuesday in support of allowing the case to proceed. The court is expected to rule on Germany’s jurisdictional objection later this year, although even if the case continues, a final decision on the merits could take several years.
Nicaragua’s case draws on a separate genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel. In an interim ruling in 2024, the ICJ said some rights protected under the Genocide Convention were plausibly at risk during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The main case is not expected to be heard in full until late 2029.
Israel rejects allegations of genocide, describing them as politically motivated, and says its military campaign is focused on Hamas, whose October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.
Nicaragua severed diplomatic relations with Israel in 2024 over the Gaza conflict.
The ICJ, based in The Hague, is the United Nations’ highest court for disputes between states and cases involving alleged violations of international treaties. Its rulings are final and cannot be appealed.
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