Türkiye joins genocide case against Israel

Turkey – Turkey will apply today, Wednesday, to join the genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel before the International Court of Justice on December 29, 2023.

According to information obtained from diplomatic sources on the case, Turkey has the right to submit a statement of accession because it is a party to the “Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,” adopted by the United Nations in December 1948.

Türkiye’s statement on joining the genocide case is based on Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice:

1- If the issue presented relates to the interpretation of an agreement to which some of the parties are not parties to the case, the Secretary-General of the Court must immediately notify these states.

2. Any State so informed shall have the right to join the case, but if it exercises this right, the interpretation given by the judgment shall be equally binding on it.

According to the Rules, the Court will notify the parties to the ongoing case, the Republic of South Africa and Israel, of the statement of accession and request their written comments.

The International Court of Justice will decide whether to accept a hearing if necessary.

The parties to the case may submit their observations on the accession statement in writing, and in the event that the parties’ written observations are received, Turkey reserves the right to submit its counter-observations in writing.

So far, Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Palestine and Spain have requested to join South Africa’s application at the ICJ, which has yet to rule on these applications.

Agencies + Anadolu Agency