Germany defends arms exports to Israel before UN court

Germany has defended its arms exports to Israel before the International Court of Justice, rejecting Nicaragua's accusation that Berlin is aiding genocide.

At the start of several days of hearings in The Hague, Germany's legal representative, Tania von Uslar-Gleichen, said German arms exports to Israel and other countries undergo strict review procedures. She described those procedures as stricter than international rules.

Nicaragua brought the case against Germany, arguing that the weapons exports breach the 1948 Genocide Convention because Israel uses the arms in its attacks in the Gaza Strip. Von Uslar-Gleichen called the allegations baseless and said Germany's extensive published documentation showed that its exports complied with international law.

Germany asked the court to reject Nicaragua's demand for an end to the exports. The case follows an earlier round in 2024, when the UN's highest court rejected Nicaragua's request for emergency measures. Germany therefore did not have to stop its exports immediately, but the judges also declined Germany's request to dismiss the case altogether.

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All German arms exports to Israel and other countries are subject to strict review procedures that are stricter than international regulations.