The Frankfurt-based relief and human rights organisation medico international e. V. welcomes the lawsuit against German war weapons exports to Israel that medico's partner organisation, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), filed yesterday with the Berlin Administrative Court. ECCHR is calling on the court to suspend export licences for military equipment to Israel that have already been granted. The lawsuit is being filed on behalf of five Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip whose family members have been killed by Israeli attacks.
ECCHR is supported by the Gaza-based human rights organisations Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, as well as the oldest Palestinian human rights organisation Al Haq from the West Bank, with which medico international has been cooperating for a long time. These organisations have been documenting serious human rights violations for decades, and their staff has been subjected to unprecedented Israeli bombardments for the past six months. They have mourned the deaths of relatives, friends, and colleagues and in many cases are homeless now.
ECCHR's lawsuit is part of growing efforts in various countries to take legal action to persuade governments to fulfil their obligations under international and, in this case, German law. At least two lawsuits against arms exports to Israel are pending in Germany. In the case of the killings of German citizens of Palestinian origin in Gaza, a separate criminal complaint has also been filed.
"International law and human rights are also binding in times of war. This also applies if a country is not directly a party to the war, but a close ally of that party, as is the case with Germany", says Tsafrir Cohen, executive director of medico international. In view of the catastrophic extent of the war in Gaza, medico international, together with 15 other organisations, called in January for a suspension of arms and ammunition exports to the war zone. In the meantime, 173 organisations have signed this appeal.
medico international supports local aid organisations in Gaza that help people with medical care, food aid and other basic needs. medico partners in Israel are also campaigning for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid.