Glasgow Uni professor defends Germany at ICJ against claims it ‘enabled genocide’ in Gaza

Professor Tams told judges that Germany had only licensed four exports of weapons of war to Israel since October

8 months ago

A University of Glasgow professor is defending Germany’s military and support to Israel in a United Nations’ court case.

Professor Christian J. Tams is working as part of a legal team representing Germany at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after claims were made that Berlin had breached of international humanitarian law in in Gaza.

Brought by Nicaragua, the United Nations case argues that Germany is enabling acts of genocide and that the country has “failed in its obligation to do everything possible to prevent the commission of genocide”, The Herald reports.

Nicaragua has further argued that Germany is “facilitating” the commission of genocide through its political, financial and military support and the defunding of UN aid agency for Palestinians, UNRWA. Germany has firmly dismissed the case brought forward by Nicaragua.

After previously studying and working in Germany, Professor Tams regularly advises States and other actors in international disputes.

Speaking at the ICJ on Tuesday, Professor Tams told the panel of 16 judges that such accusations held little truth. He said: “The minute we look closely, Nicaragua’s accusations fall apart.”

Hearings held next week will be focussed on Nicaragua’s request for “provisional measures”, including a court order that will require Berlin to halt military and other aid to Israel and reinstate funding to the UN aid agency in Gaza.

Professor Tams explained how Germany had only licensed four exports of weapons of war to Israel since the beginning of the war and that of those four, three of them had included “test or practice equipment”.

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He also explained that Berlin is currently providing humanitarian support to Palestinians in Gaza, showing judges evidence of aid being airdropped over the city. Professor Tams said that Germany is providing support “every single day under extremely difficult conditions” and is “constructively engaging with international partners”.

Samuel Wordsworth, another lawyer defending Germany in the case, argued that the UN court was unable to determine that Germany had violated its obligation to prevent genocide as judges had not declared that Israel’s actions had breached the Genocide Convention.

Strongly denying that its assault amounts to genocidal acts, Israel claims that its actions are in self defence after Hamas-led militants invaded southern Israel on October 7th.

Germany was found to be the second largest supplier of arms to Israel after the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

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