Turkiye to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Turkiye to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Ankara: Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has announced to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Al Jazeera reported.

“Upon completion of the legal text of our work, we will submit the declaration of official intervention before the ICJ with the objective of implementing this political decision,” Fidan said on Wednesday at a joint news conference with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

“Turkey will continue to support the Palestinian people in all circumstances,” he said.

The ICJ has ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians after South Africa accused Israel of state-led genocide in Gaza.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in January that Turkey was providing documents for the case at the top United Nations court, also known as the World Court.

Turkey will join Colombia in formally requesting to join the case against Israel. Last month, the South American country called on the ICJ to allow it to join the case and to ensure “the safety and, indeed, the very existence of the Palestinian people”.

The ICJ may allow states to intervene in cases and give their views.