Germany's government said Friday that it will request to join the International Court of Justice case as a third party on Israel's behalf, saying there is "no basis whatsoever" for genocide accusations.
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Under the court's rules, if Germany files a declaration of intervention in the case, it will be able to make legal arguments to support Israel at the merits phase of this case to address how the genocide convention should be interpreted, legal experts say.
Video: Six facts about the Israel-Hamas war in 90 seconds / X/@idf
"That would come after the court issues its decision on South Africa's request for urgent measures to protect the Palestinian people in Gaza," said international lawyer Balkees Jarrah, associate director of the international justice program at Human Rights Watch, in an interview from The Hague where she attended the ICJ hearings.
Berlin's support for Israel carries some symbolic significance given Germany's Nazi history.
"Hamas terrorists brutally attacked, tortured, killed and kidnapped innocent people in Israel," German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement Friday. "Since then, Israel has been defending itself against the inhumane attack by Hamas."
"We know that different countries assess Israel's operation in Gaza differently," Hebestreit said. "However, the Federal Government firmly and expressly rejects the accusation of genocide that has now been made against Israel at the International Court of Justice."
Hebestreit said Germany "sees itself as particularly committed to the Convention against Genocide." He added: "We firmly oppose political instrumentalization,"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the announcement, saying the gesture "touches all of Israel's citizens."
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