Johannesburg – Namibia has taken issue with Germany for supporting Israel, which is facing accusations of “genocidal intent” in Gaza, where over 23 000 people – mostly women and children – have been killed by the Israeli Defence Forces.
On Thursday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed the German Parliament saying: “At this moment, there is only one place for Germany. That is the side of Israel”.
He added: “That’s what we mean when we say, ‘Israel’s security is German ‘reason of state’.”
In an angry response, the Namibia government said: “The German government is yet to fully atone for the genocide it committed on Namibian soil.
“Therefore, in light of Germany’s inability to draw lessons from its horrific history, President Hage Geingob expresses deep concern with the shocking decision communicated by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany yesterday, (12 January 2024), in which it rejected the morally upright indictment brought forward by South Africa before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”
The Namibian government stated that Germany committed the first genocide of the 20th century in 1904-1908 on Namibian soil, in which tens of thousands of innocent Namibians died in the most inhumane and brutal conditions.
In a statement released Saturday, the Namibian government said: “Worryingly, ignoring the violent deaths of over 23 000 Palestinians in Gaza and various United Nations reports disturbingly highlighting the internal displacement of 85% of civilians in Gaza amid acute shortages of food and essential services, the German government has chosen to defend in the ICJ the genocidal and gruesome acts of the Israeli government against innocent civilians in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories”.
The statement added: “Germany cannot morally express commitment to the United Nations Convention against genocide, including atonement for the genocide in Namibia, whilst supporting the equivalent of a holocaust and genocide in Gaza.
“Various international organizations, such as Human Rights Watch have chillingly concluded that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza.”
The Namibian government said President Geingob reiterates his call made on 31 December 2023, that, “No peace-loving human being can ignore the carnage waged against Palestinians in Gaza”.
The statement concluded by saying: “In that vein, President Geingob appeals to the German government to reconsider its untimely decision to intervene as a third party in defence and support of the genocidal acts of Israel before the ICJ”.
The ICJ – the main judicial body of the United Nations which settles disputes among member states – heard South Africa’s case against Israel over genocide in Palestine on 11 January 2024.
Israel responded denying the charges the following day and focussed on the detail of how Hamas killed over 1 100 Israelis in a surprise attack on October 7.
More than 200 Israelis were kidnapped by Hamas.
Since the attack, Israel has responded with regular bombardment of huge areas in Gaza including residents, schools, hospitals, and refugee camps.
The high number of civilian casualties and Israel’s refusal to accept a ceasefire prompted South Africa to seek the intervention of the ICJ.
A decision on the matter is pending.
