Irish firebrand politician and member of the European parliament, Michael Wallace has thrown his weight behind President Hage Geingob’s stern call for Germany to rethink its decision to support Israel in the genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) brought by South Africa.
Wallace, during a recent European parliamentary session, drew strong reference from Germany’s unresolved and widely publicised 20th-century genocide it committed in Namibia between 1904 and 1908, which saw the annihilation of over 100 000 Hereros and more than 10 000 Namas.
“Germany is said to have committed the first genocide of the 20th century in Namibia and Namibia’s President [Geingob] has also denounced Berlin’s shocking decision to reject South Africa’s indictment. What has happened to Germany? I, like many others here in Europe, have admired Germany most of my life but now they have lost the plot,” a dismayed Wallace said in parliament of Germany’s recent decision to support Israel.
On 12 January 2024, South Africa filed a case with the ICJ where it is accusing Israel of genocidal acts in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories.
South Africa argued that Israel’s aerial and ground offensive is aimed at bringing about the destruction of the population in Gaza, where over 23 000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 60 000 others injured, according to reports by Palestinian health authorities.
The Irish politician added that Berlin’s decision to defend Israel’s case at the ICJ somewhat smells of the country’s decaying moral compass and undermines internationally recognised human rights and laws.
“They have been the cheerleader for fuelling the war in Ukraine at great cost to their economy, and now they are the cheerleaders of the settler colonial Zionist project and support their genocide. Has Germany learned nothing from its history [genocide in Namibia]?” asked Wallace.
The United Nations (UN) indicated that 85% of the population of Gaza is already internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure are destroyed.
Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip after the cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed around 1 200 people.
Geingob was last week amongst the first world leaders to come out and strongly condemn Germany’s decision to support Israel’s heinous actions in Gaza.
Just like Wallace, the Namibian head of State said Berlin has failed to draw lessons from its dark and unresolved colonial past.
“On Namibian soil, Germany committed the first genocide of the 20th century in 1904-1908, in which tens of thousands of innocent Namibians died in the most inhumane and brutal conditions. The German government is yet to fully atone for the genocide it committed on Namibian soil,” said Geingob.
He continued saying “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…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.”
Namibia, as well as several countries and international organisations are backing South Africa’s case, while Israel has received the backing of Germany, the United States – its main weapons supplier, and other close allies.
Several global entities, including Human Rights Watch, have, however, determined that Israel is engaging in war crimes in Gaza.
The ICJ is likely to present a provisional measure in the coming days, but a final verdict will take years. South Africa has urged the court to order an immediate halt to Israel’s devastating military offensive in Gaza.
Atrocities in Namibia
The killings of indigenous Herero and Nama people between 1904 and 1908 carried out by German colonial forces were part of a German campaign of collective punishment that is today recognised as the 20th century’s first genocide.
In 1985, the United Nations’ Whitaker Report classified the aftermath of Germany’s colonial events as an attempt to exterminate the Herero and Nama people of Namibia, and therefore, it constitutes one of the earliest attempts at genocide in the 20th century.
- ohembapu@nepc.com.na