Nicaragua demands Germany answer to world court for backing Israel

Nicaragua concluded four days of hearings at the International Court of Justice urging judges to reject Germany's procedural objections and examine claims that German arms exports to Israel and a funding freeze on Palestinian refugee aid enable violations of the Genocide and Geneva Conventions. Germany argues the case can't proceed without Israel's consent, citing a 1954 precedent involving Albanian gold, and says Nicaragua sued before a genuine dispute existed.

Nicaragua's lawyers pointed to Germany's public rejection of its position in February 2024, before the suit was filed, and to later arms approvals including submarine exports in December 2023 and again in 2026 as facts falling within the court's jurisdictional window. Germany countered by citing its funding for Palestinian humanitarian relief, which Nicaragua's representative dismissed as underwriting relief for casualties its own exports helped create.

The court set no judgment date, giving Nicaragua until September 16 to specify claims falling after an April 2008 cutoff and Germany until September 22 to respond, leaving the actual merits of the case untouched for now.

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