Germany will intervene on Israel’s behalf as a third party in the International Court of Justice’s genocide hearing against Israel, according to Steffen Hebestreit, the spokesman for Germany’s federal government.
In a Friday press release, Hebestreit stated that while Germany supports the International Court of Justice in its work, it also supports Israel’s right to self-defense and rejects the ICJ’s accusation of genocide.
“The federal government firmly rejects the accusation of genocide made against Israel. It has no basis whatsoever,” Hebestreit reiterated in a post on X.
Die Bundesregierung weist den gegen Israel erhobenen Vorwurf des Völkermordes entschieden zurück. Er entbehrt jeder Grundlage. Wir werden uns daher in der Hauptverhandlung vor dem Internationalen Gerichtshof als Drittpartei äußern: https://t.co/qZYb4SiacD
— Steffen Hebestreit (@RegSprecher) January 12, 2024
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday to thank him for his support after the announcement was made.
“Your and Germany’s decision to stand by the truth moves all the citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “This blood libel that is all hypocrisy and malice must not be allowed to prevail over the moral principles shared by our two countries and the entire civilized world.”
Canada rejects premise of case
Canada does not accept the premise of South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice which says Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.
Israel rejected as false the accusations brought by South Africa at the ICJ, the UN’s top court. Trudeau, pressed by reporters, stressed Canada was a strong backer of the court.
But he added: “Our wholehearted support of the ICJ and its processes does not mean that we support the premise of the case brought forward by South Africa.”
Trudeau said the government would be coming out with a formal statement later on Friday.
The United States says the South African case is meritless.
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