Namibia has expressed disapproval of Germany’s decision to intervene in support of Israel in a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In this case, South Africa accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
President Hage Geingob called on Germany to reconsider its involvement, pointing to Germany’s acknowledgment of the Namibian genocide in 2021. Geingob argued that Germany’s moral commitment to the UN Convention against genocide, including atonement for the Namibian genocide, clashes with its support for Israel. He emphasised that Germany has not fully addressed its historical wrongdoing in Namibia.
Germany dismissed the accusation against Israel, deeming it a “political instrumentalisation” of the UN genocide convention. The German government stressed its commitment to the convention, rooted in historical responsibility arising from the Holocaust.
Responding to the accusations, Germany underscored the recent conflict sparked by Hamas’s attack on Israel in October. The government argued that Israel, acting in self-defense, faced an existential threat from Hamas, an organisation it says is seeking to destroy the country.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, especially the Palestinians, with nearly 24,000 people, primarily children and women, killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza since October.
Concerns about potential famine and the spread of disease among displaced people in Gaza prompted calls from the UN and humanitarian organisations for more aid to be allowed into the territory.
South Africa initiated the case at the ICJ, presenting a comprehensive list of alleged Israeli offences, including the indiscriminate killing of Palestinian civilians and the widespread destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure. Israel vehemently denies these allegations, countering that, if anyone is guilty of genocide, it is Hamas.