German Lawyers File Case against Gov’t to Stop Arms Sales to “Israel”

By Staff, Agencies

A team of lawyers has filed an urgent legal action against the German government to stop arms sales to “Israel”, cautioning that the occupying entity uses the weapons to commit genocide against Palestinians.

The case, brought by several organizations, including the European Legal Support Center [ELSC], Law for Palestine, and the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy was filed in an administrative court in Berlin on behalf of Palestinians in Gaza.

“Germany has an international obligation to fulfill, following the International Court of Justice’s findings and the forensic report, to stop its arms export to “Israel” now more than ever. A demand Palestinians have been calling for in the past six months of the genocide,” PIPD said.

The lawyers said in a statement that the arms exports and support Germany has provided to “Israel” violated the country’s obligations under the War Weapons Control Act.

They cited a January order from the International Court of Justice [ICJ] for “Israel” to act to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza.

“Just the assumption that the weapons are used to commit acts that violate international law is sufficient to revoke arms exports under the Act,” lawyer Ahmed Abed said at a news conference in Berlin on Friday.

He said a ruling is expected within two to three weeks.

International law experts have ruled out that the case would force a halt to such arms sales under administrative law.

They, however, maintain that it could push Berlin to review its stance.

“It could build up political pressure on the German government ... to be more transparent and declare which arms it is planning to transfer or which arms it actually has transferred to ‘Israel’,” said Max Mutschler, a senior researcher at the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies.

In February, a Dutch court ordered the Netherlands to halt all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to “Israel” over its aggression in Gaza.