Thursday, May 02, 2024

Türkiye to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel at world court

Palestinian issue ‘is a matter that could even affect the sustainability of the current international order,' says official

2/05/2024 Thursday
AA



Türkiye will officially apply to be part of South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the chairman of the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Justice Committee said Wednesday.

“After the decision to join (the case) is made by our esteemed President, we will submit our official application following legal work. As we have done until today, we will continue our efforts with determination to ensure the condemnation of Israel, which has been condemned by the conscience of humanity, and also in the eyes of the law,” said Cuneyt Yuksel in a written statement.

Pointing to Israel's 75 years of "apartheid," 56 years of "occupation" and 16-year siege aimed at the colonization and annexation of Palestinian territories, Yuksel said “the Palestinian issue, envisaged to be based on the rule of law and international law, is a matter that could even affect the sustainability of the current international order and lead to global consequences.”

He said that Israel blatantly violates the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Emphasizing that international law must be applied equally to everyone without any exceptions or privileges under any circumstances, Yuksel expressed his belief that the ICJ would act in accordance with this principle.

He said they expect the world court to reveal the genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Israel and to promptly initiate the adjudication process.

Türkiye's foreign minister confirmed the plans.

“Türkiye has decided to seek to join in South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ,” Hakan Fidan told a joint news conference alongside his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi.

“With this step, we hope that the process in front of the ICJ will progress in the right direction,” Fidan added.

Israel has waged an unrelenting offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7 which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and thousands injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling siege on the seaside enclave, leaving most of its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave's population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.


Turkey reportedly halts all trade with Israel

Turkey reportedly halts all trade with Israel

TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) – Turkey stopped all trade with Israel as of Thursday, according to two Turkish officials familiar with the matter, media outlets have reported.

The move expands last month’s restriction on some Turkish exports to occupied Palestine, according to Bloomberg.

Ankara hasn’t formally announced the suspension and it wasn’t clear under what conditions trade would resume. 

The move came a day after Turkey announced plans to join South Africa’s case at the United Nations' highest court as a plaintiff blaming Israel for committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Israel waged a genocidal war on the besieged Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas Resistance group carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

At least 34,596 Palestinians have been killed and 77,816 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7.

Israel has imposed a complete siege on the densely populated territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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