The story so far: Nicaragua filed a case against Germany in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024, arguing that the European country violated the 1948 Genocide Convention by supplying weapons to Israel during its attacks on Gaza and accusing Berlin of having “contributed to the commission of genocide” against the Palestinian people.
The South Africa case
Proceedings in the ICJ take place over the course of several years, and on Monday (September 7, 2026), Germany asked the court to dismiss Nicaragua’s case, arguing that the Central American country did not follow the proper procedures before filing the case and that large parts of the case fall outside the jurisdiction of the ICJ. Nicaragua’s case builds on the 2023 case filed in the ICJ by South Africa, accusing Israel of genocide . also known as the World Court and headquartered in The Hague, initially rejected Nicaragua’s request for emergency provisional measures to halt Germany’s arms exports to Israel, the court did not quash the case While the ICJ. Dr. Julia Monar, Agent of the Federal Republic of Germany, speaks to the press alongside Counsel and Advocates Professor Antonios Tzanakopoulos and Professor Christian J. Tams following public hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands | Photo Credit: AP If the court decides not to quash the case, hearings will later commence on the actual merits of Nicaragua’s claims against Germany. A final verdict could take several more years. Judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are pictured on the bench during the public hearings at the Peace Palace | Photo Credit: AP If the court eventually rules that Germany did, indeed, violate the Genocide Convention or other international law, it could impose reparations and demand that the country comply with its obligations. However, compliance with any potential ICJ verdict would depend on Germany’s willingness or the UN Security Council’s stance towards enforcing the verdict. South Africa had initially asked for interim measures, which the court granted, ordering Israel to prevent acts that violate the Genocide Convention.
