Former Turkish president Abdullah Gül has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress on Wednesday, condemning the US for hosting Netanyahu, whom he referred to as a “genocide perpetrator” and “child killer.”
Gül, using his X account, highlighted that International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking an arrest warrant for Netanyahu on war crimes charges.
“This night, in the US Congress, we watched a circus of shame starring a genocide perpetrator for whom the ICC prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant. America has once again humiliated itself in front of the whole world for the sake of a child killer,” Gül wrote.
It’s a controversial event, for sure, Mr @cbabdullahgul, but what about a genocide perpetrator, Omar al-Bashir, ex dictator of Sudan, being invited to Turkey at events you did not refuse to attend?@cnni https://t.co/Cns2lT83Mq
— YavuzBaydar (@yavuzbaydar4) July 24, 2024
Critics accused Gül of hypocrisy and pointed out that he met multiple times with the former president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, who was sought on war crimes charges by the ICC.
Cumhurbaşkanı iken savaş suçlularını koruyan Sudan başkanı El Beşir'i ağırlamış biri için şaşırtıcı olmamalı. https://t.co/OQkdpo8yoG pic.twitter.com/NA1VkgZeyt
— HMM ރ 🏳️🕊️ #ErkenSeçim (@hamumer) July 24, 2024
During his speech, Netanyahu was received with standing ovations from members of Congress.
However, his speech was also met with protests. Palestinian-American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib held up signs reading “War Criminal” and “Guilty of Genocide” during Netanyahu’s address, and many members of congress did not attend the session in protest.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Washington to oppose Netanyahu’s Gaza policies. Demonstrators closed Pennsylvania Avenue, carrying signs with messages such as “Ceasefire now in Gaza,” “Genocidal Bibi” and “Free Palestine.” The protests were held under heavy police security, preventing demonstrators from approaching the Capitol.
Hamas issued a statement interpreting Netanyahu’s speech as evidence of his reluctance to pursue a ceasefire. “Netanyahu’s speech shows he does not want a ceasefire,” the statement read.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began on October 7 following an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, has led to significant casualties and devastation.
There is a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza resulting from Israel’s bombings and blockade, which have deprived the population of essentials such as food, water, fuel, electricity and medical supplies. The death toll is estimated to be close to 50,000 when factoring in those buried under rubble and secondary deaths due to the ongoing conflict.
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) recent advisory opinion declared Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory illegal, violating international law.
The court emphasized Israel’s obligation to end its occupation, cease settlement activities and provide full reparation for the damage caused, including land restitution and compensation. The ICJ urged the international community and UN member states to take immediate action to end the illegal occupation and ensure Palestinian self-determination.
The ICJ ordered Israel in January to refrain from all acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and to ensure that its troops do not commit genocidal acts against Palestinians after South Africa accused Israel of state-directed genocide in Gaza.