RAMALLAH, Saturday, 13 January, 2024 (WAFA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates today expressed deep dismay at Germany’s decision to speak on behalf of Israel at the proceedings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is considering Israel’s war of genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip in case brought before it by South Africa.

“We are deeply dismayed by the position of the German government regarding the case brought by South Africa before the ICJ as expressed in a statement issued today by the government’s spokesperson,” said the Foreign Ministry in a statement. “This position reminds us of a similar past approach to cases relating to Palestine brought before international courts, such as Germany’s position regarding the ICJ’s advisory opinion on Israel’s separation wall in 2004, or its position regarding the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction over the State of Palestine in 2021.

In both cases, the German position proved to be wrong given the final determinations of the said judicial bodies,” it added. “Germany’s position regarding the current case also contradicts its stated commitment in support of cases relating to genocide brought before the ICJ, including a position as recent as November 2023,” it said, adding, “It is equally surprising that in justifying this untenable position, the statement cites the commitment to ‘never again’. One would assume that a commitment to ‘never again’ would prompt heightened sensitivity toward human rights violations and decisive action against massive crimes.

Germany’s position regarding the current case is self-contradictory.” The Foreign Ministry said, “An earlier version of the statement confused the ICC with the ICJ. Perhaps this conflation reflected more than a spelling error. Rather, it revealed an unyielding German readiness to shield Israel from any form of international accountability, irrespective of the court, the substance of the case, or the scope of the misery it inflicts. It is deeply regrettable. We urge the German government to reconsider. “To debate the genocide case brought before the ICJ is one thing. But to insist after the murder of 22,000 innocent civilians including over 12,000 children that such massive crimes are ‘self-defense’ can only be construed as an attempt to acquit the perpetrator and entrench impunity.”

Y.S