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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said that Ankara would on Wednesday formally submit its declaration of intervention in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel over its military campaign on Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague.
Turkey’s announcement comes amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with significant civilian casualties reported in Gaza. Fidan made the declaration during a Monday press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Cairo, emphasizing Turkey’s stance against the alleged acts of genocide by Israel.
Fidan said Turkey had decided to join the case initiated by South Africa, which accuses Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, confirming that the formal submission would take place on Wednesday. This move follows Turkey’s announcement in May that it would participate in the case, stepping up measures against Israel over its military actions in Gaza, which have resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths according to local health officials.
The ICJ, in response to South Africa’s case, had earlier ordered Israel to refrain from actions that could be considered genocidal under the United Nations Genocide Convention. South Africa’s legal action, initiated in December, claims that Israel’s conduct in Gaza violates the 1948 Genocide Convention, established post-Holocaust to prevent such atrocities.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan indicated in January that Turkey was compiling documentation to support the case at the ICJ. Thirteen countries have either joined or expressed their intention to join South Africa’s case against Israel. The ICJ allows states to intervene in cases to present their views.
Turkey’s decision to intervene follows criticism of its delayed response and accusations of negotiating with the United States, as expressed by Turkish opposition members like lawmaker Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu.
The outcome of South Africa’s case against Israel, along with Turkey’s intervention, is expected to take years.
Although President Erdoğan uses strong rhetoric against Israel, accusing it of committing war crimes in Gaza, his government has faced criticism for not cutting off diplomatic and commercial relations with the country.
Ankara announced it suspended all trade with Israel in May, but recent reports suggest that Turkey now disguises its exports to Israel by inflating figures on exports to Palestine, which surged 1,180 percent year-on-year in July.