Turkiye formally asks to join the genocide case against Israel at the UN court

Turkiye joins nations at the International Court of Justice to intervene in the genocide case against Israel.

“Turkiye on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) filed a request with a U.N. court to join South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.

Turkiye’s ambassador to the Netherlands, accompanied by a group of Turkish legislators, submitted a declaration of intervention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

With the development, Turkiye, one of the fiercest critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza, becomes the latest nation seeking to participate in the case. Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Libya have also asked to join the case, as have Palestinian officials. The court’s decision on their requests is still pending.

“We have just submitted our application to the International Court of Justice to intervene in the genocide case filed against Israel,” he wrote on the social media platform X. “Emboldened by the impunity for its crimes, Israel is killing more and more innocent Palestinians every day. The international community must do its part to stop the genocide; it must put the necessary pressure on Israel and its supporters,” he said.

“Turkiye will make every effort to do so,” he added. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of genocide, called for it to be punished in international courts and criticised Western nations for backing Israel. In May, Turkiye suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza.

In contrast to Western nations that have designated Hamas a terrorist organisation, Erdogan has commended the group, calling it a liberation movement.

South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice late last year, accusing Israel of violating the genocide convention through its military operations in Gaza.