Turkey joins South Africa’s genocide case at ICJ against Israel

Turkey joins South Africa’s genocide case at ICJ against Israel

Turkey has submitted its intervention in South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced Wednesday.

“Emboldened by the impunity for its crimes, Israel is killing more and more innocent Palestinians every day,” Fidan wrote on X.

“The international community must do its part to stop the genocide and put the necessary pressure on Israel and its supporters,” he said, adding “Turkey will make every effort in this regard.”

The foreign minister announced Istanbul’s intention to join the case on Monday at a press conference in Cairo alongside his Egyptian counterpart.

South Africa initiated its case against Israel over its invasion of Gaza at the ICJ, the United Nations’ top court, last December. South Africa alleges Israel is in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention and is seeking an end to the conflict.

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Israel launched its military campaign against Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in which 1,200 Israelis were killed. More than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed since the military offensive began, according to local health authorities.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry slammed South Africa as the “legal arm” of the Palestinian militant group, saying it “distorted the reality” in Gaza.

Istanbul has taken an increasingly hard line to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, accusing it of violating Palestinians’ fundamental human rights. At the end of July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to send NATO troops into Israel to intervene.

Erdoğan also blamed Israel for the “treacherous assassination” of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.

“The path to peace in the Middle East is through the establishment of a real Palestinian state.” Turkey’s foreign minister said at Monday’s press conference. “Our brothers and sisters should have an independent, sovereign and geographically integrated state with East Jerusalem as its capital. This is their most natural right.”

The ICJ’s statute allows any third state to intervene. Spain and Ireland have also announced they will join the case.

Turkey joins South Africa’s genocide case at ICJ against Israel