Jan 141 min read

Namibia Slams Germany's Support of Israel Against Genocide Claim

President Hage Geingob of Namibia @NamPresidency

President Hage Geingob has expressed deep concern over Germany's decision to support Israel against South Africa's accusation that it is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

This comes after the German government announced its intent to intervene as a third party in South Africa's case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), with Germany cautioning against the "political instrumentalisation" of the charge of genocide that South Africa is levelling against Israel.

Geingob in a statement on Saturday said the timing of Germany's stance, given its historical responsibility for the first genocide of the twentieth century on Namibian soil, raises troubling questions about its moral compass.

Geingob, highlighting Germany's unresolved culpability for the Namibian genocide of 1904 to 1908, criticised Germany's inability to learn from its past.

"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," the Presidency remarked in the media statement.

It noted that various international organisations, such as Human Rights Watch, have concluded that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza.

"No peace-loving human being can ignore the carnage waged against Palestinians in Gaza," Geingob stated.

The president appealed to the German government to reconsider its decision to intervene as a third party in defence and support of Israel before the ICJ.

Reparation agreements between the German and Namibian governments in connection with the genocide against the Herero and Nama people of Namibia from 1904 to 1908 are still pending.

Read the original article on Namibian.