7th Nation Wants In on Genocide Case Against Israel

Turkey on Wednesday filed a request with a UN court to join South Africa's lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, the foreign minister said. Turkey's ambassador to the Netherlands, accompanied by a group of Turkish legislators, submitted a declaration of intervention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. With the development, Turkey, one of the fiercest critics of Israel's actions in Gaza, becomes the latest nation seeking to participate in the case. Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Libya have also asked to join the case, as have Palestinian officials. The court's decision on their requests is still pending, reports the AP.

"Emboldened by the impunity for its crimes, Israel is killing more and more innocent Palestinians every day," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan wrote on X. "The international community must do its part to stop the genocide; it must put the necessary pressure on Israel and its supporters," he added. "Turkey will make every effort to do so." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of genocide, called for it to be punished in international courts, and criticized Western nations for backing Israel. In May, Turkey suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza. In contrast to Western nations that have designated Hamas a terrorist organization, Erdogan has commended the group, calling it a liberation movement.

South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice late last year, accusing Israel of violating the genocide convention in Gaza. If admitted to the case, the countries who joined would be able to make written submissions and speak at public hearings. Preliminary hearings have already been held in the genocide case against Israel, but the court is expected to take years to reach a decision.

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"No country in the world is above international law," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said on X earlier. "The case at the International Court of Justice is extremely important in terms of ensuring that the crimes committed by Israel do not go unpunished." Keceli also called for the immediate implementations of precautionary measures ordered by the court, including a halt to the military offensive and an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)