“The conscience of humanity and international law will ensure that Israeli officials are held accountable.”
ISTANBUL: Ankara’s decision to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) highlights Turkey’s commitment to addressing the Palestinian issue through legal and judicial means, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement on Wednesday. The ministry emphasized, “Our decision to intervene reflects the importance our country attaches to resolving the Palestinian issue within the framework of law and justice.” It also asserted that “the conscience of humanity and international law will ensure that Israeli officials are held accountable.”
The case, filed by South Africa at the ICJ, accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in its military actions against the Gaza Strip. Turkey has been closely following the case since its inception and has now formally joined South Africa, along with Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Palestine, and Spain, who have also supported the case. Former Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had previously disclosed Turkey’s decision to intervene on May 1 after careful consideration of intervention possibilities. On Wednesday, Turkey submitted a declaration to the UN’s highest court, aligning itself with South Africa’s allegations and contributing to the arguments on how the Genocide Convention should apply to Israel’s actions in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, which began following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023, has faced widespread international criticism. Israel’s military campaign has resulted in nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths and has left large areas of Gaza in devastation amidst severe shortages of food, water, and medicine.
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