The Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced at a press conference in Cairo that Turkey will officially submit its declaration to intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. This submission is expected to take place on Wednesday.
In May, Turkey declared its intention to join South Africa’s legal action against Israel as part of its broader measures in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This move is a reaction to the extensive military operations carried out by Israel in the region.
The International Court of Justice has previously ordered Israel to refrain from any actions that could fall under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and has also mandated that Israeli forces must not commit acts of genocide against Palestinians. South Africa initiated its case against Israel in December, accusing the country of state-sponsored genocide in Gaza. According to health authorities in the heavily impacted area, the death toll from the war, which began in October, has reached nearly 40,000.
South Africa’s legal argument claims that Israel has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, which was established after the Holocaust to prevent the recurrence of such crimes. However, Israel and its Western allies have dismissed South Africa’s allegations as unfounded. A final ruling in the case may take several years.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously stated that Turkey is in the process of collecting documentation for the case at the highest UN court, also known as the World Court. So far, 13 countries have joined or expressed their intention to participate in South Africa’s case against Israel.
International attention regarding the conflict in Gaza is increasing, and more countries are considering their next steps concerning the situation. The ICJ may allow states to intervene in cases and submit their views, which could lead to further developments in the ongoing legal proceedings.