Israel's security at 'core' of Berlin foreign policy, Germany tells UN court

Israel's security is at the "core" of German foreign policy, the U.N.'s highest court heard on Tuesday, where Berlin has denied a claim that it is aiding in a "genocide" in Gaza.

Nicaragua brought Germany before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to demand that judges impose emergency measures to stop Berlin from providing Israel with weapons and other assistance.

"Our history is the reason why Israel's security has been at the core of Germany foreign policy," Germany's representative told the court in The Hague.

"Where Germany has provided support to Israel, including in a form of export of arms and other military equipment, the quality and purposes of these supplies have been grossly distorted by Nicaragua," Tania von Uslar-Gleichen said.

Lawyers for Nicaragua argued that Germany is in breach of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, set up in the wake of the Holocaust, by furnishing Israel with weapons.

On Monday, Nicaragua's lawyers called Berlin "pathetic" for supplying Israel with weapons and at the same time giving humanitarian aid to Palestinians

Nicaragua asked the ICJ to issue "provisional measures", the emergency orders that can be imposed while the court considers the broader case.

Germany had already said after Monday's hearing that it "completely rejected" Managua's claims.

 'Accusations fall apart' 

On Tuesday, Berlin's representatives insisted that Germany supplied arms only "on the basis of detailed scrutiny... that far exceeds the requirements of international law".

"Nicaragua's references yesterday referring to artillery shells or to munitions that would be used in Gaza, simply bears no reality. Germany rejects them," said Christian Tams, another...