The Government of Germany rejected this Friday the accusation of genocide presented against Israel by South Africa before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeing in the initiative a risk of “political instrumentalization” of International Law, and announced its intention to intervene as a party indirect in the trial.
“We know that different countries evaluate Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip differently. However, the German Government firmly and explicitly rejects the accusation of genocide now brought against Israel before the International Court of Justice. This accusation has no basis whatsoever,” government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit wrote in a statement.
On behalf of the Executive coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, spokesperson Hebestreit stressed that the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide constitutes “a central instrument of International Law to implement ‘never again’” and expressed the German Government’s rejection of its “political instrumentalization.”
Hebestreit defended the particular commitment of the German Executive to this convention – approved by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1948 – “in view of the history of Germany and the crime against humanity that the Shoah represented.” The spokesperson recalled that “on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists brutally attacked, tortured, killed and kidnapped innocent people in Israel” and noted that “Hamas’ goal is to eliminate Israel. Since then, Israel has defended itself from the inhuman attack of Hamas.”
The German government has shown unwavering support for Israel since the October 7 attack, although in recent weeks it has redoubled calls to prevent deaths of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. Also this Friday, at a routine press conference in Berlin, the government’s deputy spokesperson, Christiane Hoffmann, insisted on Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas attacks, while calling on Israel to offer maximum “protection and respect.” to the population of Gaza, which is in a “terrible situation”, and affirmed that Palestinians “have the right to live in the Palestinian territories and to have prospects for the future.”
