Türkiye joins global effort to hold Israel accountable for war crimes

Türkiye's bid to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel will add to the International Court of Justice's arsenal of legal arguments to persecute Tel Aviv for the war crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza, Turkish diplomatic officials told TRT World.

After South Africa approached the ICJ late last year, pleading that Israel's devastating war has caused a humanitarian crisis and violates the 1948 Genocide Convention, several countries have joined the proceedings.

It can take 4-5 years before ICJ comes out with a final judgement, but the arguments that different parties to the case submit can become the foundation for preventing similar crimes in the future.

"Türkiye’s declaration is the most detailed, comprehensive, and well-argued among the intervening countries. This rigorous approach provides the ICJ with a solid legal framework for interpreting the Genocide Convention accurately," the Turkish officials said in a statement.

"Ankara's submission outlines the obligations under Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Convention and emphasises the need for measures to investigate and prosecute acts of genocide."

Any genocide proceeding at the ICJ can become a quagmire of legal arguments and counterarguments, dragging the proceedings on for years.

Last month, the ICJ issued a landmark advisory, telling Israel that its occupation of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza and construction of settlements are illegal.

Türkiye says that its legal arguments will back the ICJ's view on the occupation of Palestinian territories and illegal settlements.

"This alignment strengthens Türkiye's legal arguments and enhances the significance of its intervention."

Turkish officials say detailed legal arguments and comprehensive analysis provided by Türkiye "could serve as valuable references for future cases and contribute to the development of international humanitarian law".

"The intervention by Ankara not only addresses the immediate crisis in Gaza but also strengthens the global legal framework for addressing similar situations in the future."

'Israel's blatant war crimes'

Diplomatic sources say that the primary reason for Israel's blatant "war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide" are the result of a perception of "impunity" that Israelis think absolves them from any responsibility.

"To eliminate this perception, the international community must act swiftly to ensure that courts such as the ICJ and the International Criminal Court (ICC) take judicial decisions and that these decisions are effectively enforced," officials said.

As a signatory of the 1948 Genocide Convention, Türkiye is bound by international law to prevent and punish acts of genocide.

"Türkiye's intervention underscores its commitment to these obligations and sets a precedent for other nations to follow when addressing severe humanitarian crises."

The application by Türkiye to the ICJ will be submitted today at 13:30 GMT.

Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Palestine, and Spain have applied to intervene in the case. The Court has not yet ruled on these applications.