Turkey on Wednesday submitted a request to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, a UN body, to join South Africa's lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, the country's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.
Turkey's ambassador to the Netherlands, accompanied by a group of Turkish lawmakers, delivered a statement on his country's intention. With this move, Turkey, one of the harshest critics of Israel's actions in Gaza, becomes the latest country to seek to be added to the lawsuit against Israel. Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Libya have also sought to join the cause, as have Palestinian officials.
The court has not yet made a decision on their requests.
“We have just submitted our request to the International Court of Justice to become part of the genocide lawsuit filed against Israel,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in a post on the X social media platform.
“Encouraged by the lack of impunity for its crimes, Israel is killing more and more innocent Palestinians every day. The international community must play its role to stop the genocide; how to put the right pressure on Israel and its supporters. Turkey will make every effort to realize this,” he said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of genocide, called for it to be punished in international courts and criticized Western countries for supporting Israel.
In May, Turkey suspended trade with Israel, citing its attack on Gaza. Unlike Western countries that have labeled Hamas a terrorist organization, Mr. Erdogan has praised the group, calling it a liberation movement.
South Africa filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice late last year, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention with its military operations in Gaza.
Israel has strongly rejected allegations of genocide and has argued that the war in Gaza is a legitimate self-defense action against Hamas militants in response to an October 7 attack in southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and wounded 250. hostage.
If the Court agrees to make them part of the lawsuit, these countries will be able to propose written submissions and speak in public hearings.
It may take years for the court to reach a final decision.
In a statement to the media, Hamas welcomed Turkey's request to join the lawsuit and said it confirms President Erdogan's support for the Palestinian cause.
“No country in the world is above international law,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said earlier on Platform X.
“The case at the International Court of Justice is extremely important so that the crimes committed by Israel do not go unpunished,” he added.
Mr. Keceli also called for the immediate implementation of court-ordered precautionary measures, including a halt to the military offensive and an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Since Mr. Erdogan took power in 2003, Turkey and Israel have had a fragile relationship, sometimes with periods of intense friction and sometimes with cooperation.
The war in Gaza disrupted the latest efforts to normalize relations.
