The Republic of Turkey has formally submitted its intervention in the case brought by South Africa against the State of Israel, alleging genocide, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
This announcement was made by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday.
In a post on his X handle, Fidan said, “We have just submitted our application to the International Court of Justice to intervene in the genocide case filed against Israel.
“Emboldened by the impunity it has received for its crimes, Israel is killing more and more innocent Palestinians every day.
“The international community must do its part to stop the genocide and put the necessary pressure on Israel and its supporters.
“Türkiye will make every effort on this path.”
South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through its military actions in Gaza.
South Africa is seeking a cessation of the conflict. The case follows Israel’s military response to the October 7 Hamas attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis. Since then, the Gaza conflict has claimed the lives of over 39,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.
In May, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the United Nations for its inaction amidst Israel’s alleged ‘genocide’ in Gaza, urging the ‘Islamic world’ to take action.
He criticized the Islamic world for its lack of decisive action, characterizing Israel’s actions as a threat to humanity. This came after Israeli strikes in Gaza resulted in significant Palestinian casualties, prompting Erdogan’s call for collective action.
Meanwhile, the Turkish government had reportedly stopped all trade with Israel over its actions in Gaza, prompting strong criticism of President Erdoğan from Israel.
